Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-11
WHAT ANGERED CONGRESS.

Las. year an amendment was in
corporated i'm the measure provid-
ing for the secret service, which
provided that there should be no
detail from the secret service and
no transfer therefrom.
II is not too much to say that
this amendment has been of bene-
fit only, and could be of benefit
only. TO the criminal classes.
RI deliberately introduced for the
purpose of diminishing the effective
ness of war against crime it could
not have been better devised TO this
end
It forbade the practices that had
been followed to a greater or less
extent by the executive heads OF
the various departments for twen-
ty Years. To these practices we
owe the securing of the evidence
which enabled us to drive the
great lotteries out of existence and
secure a quarter of a million dol
Iarsr in fines from their promoters.
These practices have enabled us to
discover some of the most out
rageouS frauds in connection win
theft Of government land and gov
eminent timber by great corpora
tons and by individuals. These
practices have enabled IFS to get
some of the evidence Indispensable
i'm order 10 secure the conviction of
the wealthiesi and most formula ple
criminals with whom the govern
ment has 20 deal. both those OPP
Grating in violation of the antitrust
law and others.
The amendment in question was
of benefit to no one excepting to
these criminals, and it seriously
hampers the government in the DE-
lection of crime and the securing
of Justice. Moreover. it not only
affects the departments outside OF
the Treasury. but il tends TO
hamper the Secretary OF the Treas
ury himself in the effort to utilize
the employees of his department so
as TO best meet the requirements
of the public service.
1t forbids him from preventing
frauds upon the customs service
from Investigating irregularities
in branch mintS and assay offices
and has seriously crippled him. III
prevents the promotion of employees
IN the secret service and this fur
Their discourageS good effort.
In It's present form the restriction
operates only to the advantage of
the criminal. of the wrongdOer. The
chief argument III favor of the pro
vision was that the congressman
did not themselves wish to be in
vestigated by secret service men.
Very little OF such investigation has
been done i'll the past: but 1t Is
true that the WORK OF the secret
service agents was partly respon-
ton of senator and a congress
man FOR land frauds in Oregon.
| 10 not believe that it is in the
public interest to protect criminals
I'm any branch OF the public service.
ard exactly as we have again and
again during the past seven years
prosecuted and convicted SlIch
criminals vino were in the executive
bra nch OF the government. so in my
belief We should he given ample
means TO prosecute them if found
in the legislative branch.
Bit il this is not considered dc
sirable special exception could be
made in the law prohibiting the use
of the secret service force in inves-
tigating members of the Congress
ii would be far hetter to do this
than to- do what actually was DONE
and strive to prevent or at least
to hamper effective action against
criminals by the executive branch
of the zovernment.-FROM THE,
PRESIDENT MESSAGE TO
CONGRESS.