The morning journal-courier., 1908-12-14
A ,SutNGToNIiN TEMPEST

\ " ANHlNdINNiNN ltNibN''
 our capital city is in a way to cx- perience a teapot tempest because of Mr. Roosevelt very similar to that Berlin experienced not so long ago because of the German kaiser There were many in the Rcischtag to think the Kaiser had spoken too freely and an official rebukc followed; thero arc now many in congress who think the president has taken moro If the bit of national politics in his mouth than is requisite Rut whether an of- hcial rcprimand win cnsuc Is exceed lnply doubtful, all Of which suggests the conclusion that the German kaiser is not able 10 be a Whit more dicta torial in his likes and disikes than fig the president of these United States.
 Tho political pot has now been set aboilng in tho capital City because of spocidc references made by the president in his late message to com gross upon che subject of the secret service, matter over which that rcp- rescntativo body has shown far moro scnsitivrness than had ever been sus- pcctod of it Washington dispatches tell how quarters of the bulky document had been read before con- gress Co lnatientivc ears when sudden ly that part of the message, which had to dc with tho secret service, was reached and instantly there was in- tense excitement The congressman were not simply angry, as one core spondan, put t they were simply furious They construed what the president had jo soy as a direct Tee nccuoo upon them as mon who do criminal things and are in fear of be- ing caught
 The secret service is probably ono of tho least understood of the moro important departments of the govern ment 1t seems there has never been wholly satisfactory provision made for the protection of the person of the president Congress has persist cntly refused 10 authorize the specific employment of more than a very few l men for that purpose for fear that ] the force would expand from a few detectives into a presidential body guard, with all the intrigues which would go with one as with the similar ! bodyguard of ,he rulers of Europe. ] The great need that exists for such l a protection of the presidents person l has been duly emphasized, however l first by the assassination of President ] Garfield and again by the assassina- ton of President Mckinley In the failure of congress to act and in order to get mon to make up such a body 1 guard and to protect the president at every moment and al every place, the custom has prevailed for the different departments to lend their detectives for this work--thc postotfice dcpart- mont some of its inspectors and the department of justice some of Its agents.
 All combined, these secret service men have constituted a considerable force. The charge has been made and here is where the present crisis begins 10 deyelop--that they have been illcgitimately used by the prcsi- dent to spy upon tho members of con- gross, pryng into their private lives and affairs. Says the Boston Globe on this subject. Men who were op- posed to administration poiicics, it is said, found themselves suddenly con- frontod with things that they hardly cared to have known. It was pri- marly to make this impossible, whether it had happened or not that an amendment was recently put through congress- which prohibited the loan of secret service pon by one department of tho government to an- other. If js because of this amend mcnt that the president objects in his message His argument s that the congrcssmen did not wish to be thcmscves investigated. but that crim- inals should be protected especially lf in the legislative branch of the gov