The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-08

been changed TO Supef1nCendencIeS ana
their heads brought into the classified
civil service.
Secret Service.
Last year an amendment was incor-
porated in the measure providing for
the secret service which provided that
there should be no detail from the Sc
cret service and no transfer therefrom.
It is not too much to say that this
amendment has been of benefit only,
and could be of benefit only, to the
criminal classes. If deliberately in
troduced for the purpose of diminish
ing the effectiveness of war against
crime it could not have been better de-
vised to this end. 1t forbade the prac-
tees that had been followed to
greater or less extent by the executive
heads of various departments for twen-
ty years. To these practices we owe
the securing of the evidence which en-
abled us to drive great lotteries out of
business and secure Il quarter of
million of dollars in fines from their
promoters These practices have en-
abIed us to discover some of the most
outrageous frauds in connection with
the theft of government land and
government timber by great corpora
tions and by individuals. These prac-
tees have enabled us to get some of
the evidence Indispensable in order to
secure the conviction of the wealthiest
ard most formidable criminals with
whom the government has to deal,
both those operating in violation of
the antitrust law and others. The
amendment in question was of benefit
To
and it seriously hampers the govern
ment in the detection of crime and the
securing of justice. Moreover, it not
only affects departments outside of
the treasury, but it tends to hamper
the secretary of the treasury 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 1nVes-
tigating irregularities in branch minis
and assay offices, and has seriously
crippled him. 1t prevents the promo
ton of employees in the secret service,
and this further discourages good eff
fort. In its present form the restric-
ton operates only to the advantage of
the criminal, of the wrongdoer.
The chief argument in favor of the
provision was that the congressman
did not themselves wish to be investi-
gated by secret service men. Very
little of such investigation has been
done in the past, but it is true that the
work of the secret service agents was
partly responsible for the indictment
and conviction of n senator and a con-
gresham for land FRAUDS in Oregon.
do not believe that it is in the public
interest to protect criminals in any
branch of the public service, and ex-
actIy as we have again and again dur
ing the past seven years prosecuted
and convicted such criminals who
were in the executive branch of the
government so in my belief we should
be given ample means to prosecute
them if found IN he1egfsiatfve branch.
But if this is not considered desira BILE
a special exception could be made in
the law prohibiting the use of the
secret service force in investigating
members of the congress. 1t would be
far better to do this than to do what
actually was done and strive to pre-
vent or at least to hamper effective ac-
ton against criminals by the executive
branch of the government.
Postal Savings Banks.
l again renew my recommendation
for postal savings banks, for deposit
ing savings with the security of the
government behind them The object
is TO encourage thrift and economy in
the wage Garner and person of mod
crate means. In fourteen states the
deposits in savings banks as reported
~. no Of
amount to $3.50. 245. 4O2. or 9S4 per
cent of the entire deposits, while in
the remaining thirty-two states there
are only $T0,30S.5 DAB, or 1.6 per cent,
showing conclusively that there are
many localities in the United States
where sufficient opportunity is not
given to the people to deposit their
savings. The result is that money
is kept in hiding and unemployed.
1t is believed that in the aggregate
vast sums of money would be
brought into circulation through the
instrumentality of the postal saw
ings banks. While there are only 1.453
savings banks reporting to the comp
troller, there are more than 81 900
postOffices. 10000 of which are money
order offices. Postal savings banks
are now in operation in practically all
the great civilized countries with the
exception of the United States.
Parcel Post.
In my last annual message 1 COM
mended the postmaster generals rec
ommendation for an extension of the
parcel post on the rural routes. The
establishment of a local parcel post
on rural routes would be to the mu-
tual benefit of the farmer and the
country storekeeper, and it is desirable
that the routes serving more Than TX :