Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1909-01-14
SAYS ONLY CRIMINALS
NEED FEAR SLEUTHS
President Roosevelt Hits Congress
in Special Message on Secret
Service Row.
DIDN'T CHARGE CORRUPTION.
Quotes Record Against Men Whe
Had Law Changed-Frauds IN
earthed by Detectives.

There is no more foolish outcry than
this against spies: only criminals need
fear our detectives This sentence from
a former utterance of himself on the
subject is hurled at the House of Rep
| resentatives by President Roosevelt
Monday i'll special message on the
| secret service and the action of Con-
gress i'll cutting down the appropriation
for this part of the governments work
The message, which was eagerly
awaited, was the Presidents answer TO
a request of Congress for evidence to
| support his statement in his last an
| nual message that the chief argument
in favor of the provision was that the
| Congressman did not themselves wish
to be investigated
No Charge of Corruption.
President Roosevelt declares he made
no charge of corruption against mem
! bers of the present Congress. If he had
| proof Of such corruption, he says it
would be the duty of the government
to start prosecutions, as it prosecuted
the late Senator Mitchell and others.
and in regard to the alleged delinquen-
cieS of members he says. it is not the
| duty of the President to report on that
subject
On the question of the secret service
| being used TO shadow" Congressman,
| the President asserts that this was the
main argument used by the men who
were instrumental i'll cutting down the
| appropriation. Chairman Tawney of the
committee and Walter |. Smith of Iowa,
and Swager Shirley of Kentucky. two
Of its members, are quoted as using
such arguments, while the bill was
| being discussed Mr.. Shirleys argu-
ment, put in the form of a question, is
| quoted from the Congressional Record,
when Mr.. Sherley opposed investigation
| by the secret service of "a member of
| Congress accused of conduct unbecom-
! ing a gentleman and member of Con-
gress."
The President says, while he makes
no sweeping charge against the men,
bers Of the House, the Committee on
Appropriations, headed by Mr.. Tawney,
is to be blamed for the amendment to
the law as passed.
Real Issue as He Sees It.
Getting down to a discussion of the
issues involved, the President says:
This issue is simply, Does Congress
desire that the government shall have
at its disposal the most efficient instru-
| fo, l,n Of a,.;,,,
the prevention and punishment Of
crime, or does it not? This action Of
the House last May was emphatically
an action against the interest of justice
and in effect of benefit only to law
breakers. Is the House now willing to
remedy the wrOng?'
The President then gives a list of
cases where frauds against the govern
ment were unearthed and punished by
the aid of the secret service. These in
Guided the Nebraska and Oregon land
frauds, the GaynOr & Greene contract
swindle, the Honduras lottery. the ink
scandal in the bureau of printing, and
other similar deliquencies. A letter by
Secretary Cortelyou to Chairman Taw-
ney last May which accompanies the
document gives further data on these
cases.
Welcomes Probe of Departments.
As indicating the PRESIDENTS attitude
to Congress on the subject. the message
says:
ANY instance of abuse by the secret
service or other investigating force in
the departments should be unSparingly
punished; and Congress should hold it.
self ready at any and all times to in.
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