The silver state news. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-05
News AT NATIONAL
CAPITAL

iouo occAct Poucc oyctcHc VI tHc SoV-
ernment into bureau of criminal in
vestigation under the supervision of
the department of justice is ikefy 20
meet with determined opposition on the
part of congress. just at this time,
with the mind of congress infamed by
the presidents pointed reference in
his annual message to the need of in
vestigating the conduct of it's mem
bers, the fate of such a measure is ex
tremely doubtful. In fact, the present
open hostility to any extension of the
secret service along the lines proposed
! " the president, may yet result in
serious rupture between the legislative
and executive branches of the govern
ment.
The president believes his proposed
merger will provide the only proper
solution OF the problems growing out
of the various secret police systems OF
the federal government. His plan is
to consolidate these secret inspectors,
which include Chief Wilkes secret
service, the postoffice inspectors, the
internal revenue special agents, the
customs inspectors, pension examiners,
and land Office agents into central
bureau. He contends that it not only
would save the government thousands
of dollars annually, but by this means
the overlapping of the work of these
several separate branches would be
avoided. In this he is supported by
Chief Wilkie and Attorney General
Bonaparte, both Of whom have adm
frequent conferences at the White
House to advise with the president re
garding the plan.
1t is understood that the president,
IN forthcoming message to congress,
viii recommend the adoption of this
bureau OF criminal Identification. HIS
idea is to have it under the supervision
Of chief WHO shall be in charge of the
special investigating wcrk of all the
federal government. Under this plan
The country would be divided into TO r.
districts, to be kno'y1 as the nortn-
east, northwest, southeast and south
west divisions, each of these divisions
to have a sub-chief or deputy. The
headquarters would be in Washington.
The most serious obstacle to the
success of the plan will be that con
gress has always viewed with extreme
disfacor whatever seemed to be an
attempt on the part of the executive
to link an extensive spy system to
the workings of the government. In
recent years the impression has become
fixed that any extension of the activ-
tiles OF the secret service would be 10
create a secret spy system, such as is
deemed necessary part of European
government. If this is to be considered
reasonable argument against the
presidents plan, the plan is likely to
fare badly when proposed to congress.
Mr.. Taft's avowal that he will
visit the Panama canal once every year
during the four years of his admins
tration is not surprising to those who
are acquainted with the intimate side
of the President-elect' character.
They are convinced that Mr.. Taft, bar
ring unforeseen accidents, not only will
go but he also will see that the job
on the big ditch is conducted properly
and with total absence of that bug
bear of all contracts Involving con-
siderable money spending graft.
Herein lies the obligation that Mr..
Taft once said would be the biggest
proposition his administration would
be called upon to handle. To satisfy
congress and the American people that
the canal work is being prosecuted
honestly and vigorously, to get an as
surance that the canal will be opened
to the worlds commence by the
promised time-1915-and to gather
such data as will enable him to answer
canal critics, in and out of congress,
are the primary reasons of the presi-
dent-eiect In pledging himself to take
these proposed annual journeys to the
isthinus.
In adopting this rather unusual
method Of "getting at the bottom of
things to quote Mr.. Taft's own
language, the president elect is follow
ing course which he conceives to be
his simple duty. He did things after
this clos range method in the hand
ling of Philippine problems when he
was secretary of war. In fact, he has
followed this conscientious, painstak-
ing method of doing business all his
life; and it has on occasions operated
to his personal advantage. His
close friends here remember how. after
he had returned to Washington follow