The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1908-12-18
THE SECRET SERVICE QUESTION
(From Washington Dispatch to tn

From Washington Dispatch to the Boston -,.,
rbree-auarters of the long document had Hce l pe
s when suddenly the pot began to bubble 70 haten-
d to the law passed by the last Congress
ls Of the secret service. :" ~ opera
u'' 70 make what follows understood it is necessary .
~ wears ago Congress created body of detect pay mat
n1y servce men, under the control of the secretary G "n as
= ;mdiately under the charge of chief Of The eaSuy
chose sole duties were to prevent counterng and arrest
afeters ~.
ssnon of President Garfield it thought necessa 49,
on Of the president should be guarded and as Cong I W
ke any appropriation for the direct safety Of the
% was no fund out Of which detectives or secret service anu
d Of the secret service corps detached from ta
ar duties and acted as the secret police the president
At first two were detailed for this duty then the
the work enlarged until the president never stirred ont r.
M White House. whether for walk drive or railroad 60;
shout secret service at his heels 0'
After assassination of President Mckinley still greater
tn were taken, and now the president is not onlv
secret men wherever he may CO. whether to church or r.
Make social CALL but detectives sit all day long in the White Ho
JosJv scanning every person who enters.
This of course in direct violation of law Every mem
Congress knew it, but the fact winked at The drain On
force of the service corps became heavy that to enable
FL attend its regular duties postoce inspectors were euen
d in the presidents private bodyguard The most
@ Inspectors under the control of the postnastergenera are r.
m service what the secret service the treasury They
supposed be employed only to down postal criminals
The department of justice also has force of detectives The
known agents. and officially they restricted to the vest
% Of judicial ofe1ses and the examination of accounts of
M district attorneys and such other matters as come under the
t Of the department of justice Like the secret service men
After the murder of President Mckinley this violation of the law
crane 50 fragrant that it very Objectionable certain mem
hers Congress- who believed that undgned wink at the
m violation the law The late Senator Hoa proposed that
should be small body of plaincothe employed simply to
m the person of the president But Congress refused permit
their employment because of the mistaken idea that this would
sand from few detectives into presidential bodygaurd
So there nothing be done except the service
protect the president although Congress still kept up the farce
restricting the functions of the secret service to the suppression
mdd detection O. crimes against the
Last year there good deal of excitement created among
rer of Congress- 1t said that there regular black
an maintained Washington and that the
toce inspectors and the agents of the department OF justice
lad been constituted political police and spying upon
Members of Congress- pying into their private lives and affairs
which unpleasant for members
Men who opposed administration policies said
d themselves suddenly confronted with things that they hardly
AIRED have known Whether false it developed that the
of the three departments had been loaned to other de
en that there rather extensive detective machn
Eatthe control of the president.
To tie the presidents hands much possible the law was
nd prohibit any service operative being detailed or
Dad to any other department
In his message the president protested against this amendment
sGg of benefit only the criminal class The chief argument
PRESIDENT says in favor of the provision that Congressman
themselves did wish to be investigated by secret service men, ana
although very little of this work has been done It true thar ne
K OF the secret service agents was partly responsive W m
drmntand conviction of Senator and Congressman or lana
frauds in Oregon
After saying that he does not believe that criminals should be
Protected if they are found in the legislative branch OF the gov
this is what made members of Congress sit up and
axe notice But if this considered desirable special ep
could be made in the law prohibiting the use OF the seet
@ce IN investigating members of Congress
Well say that this makes members of Congress angry IS 70 put
mildly They furious They construe as relecuo upon
en and as if they knew they doing criminal things ana
tear of being caught There good deal OF savage ~
gd in among the members One dgnlfed Senator su - al
r dgnfed Senator "Isit that the last time you de
u'e House some of the spoons were missing: Ou Sim
nns of the kind INDUCED in but beneath S gin"
paanry there real anger
The supreme court of Massachusetts has decided that %
q cannot collect fine levied upon member for not Joining m
Ske and expel the member for not paying II it