Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-01-04

ment IN the lottery cases. Again. the
ink contract fraud IN the bureau OF
engraving and printing Ga bureau or
the treasury Department. was invesu-
gated bv The secret scrvic and the
guilty parts brought 20 justice. Mr..
rawneV stated in the debate thar
this was nGi Investigated by the secret
service but by "a clerk down there,
conveying the impression that the
clerk was not In the secret service.
Az matter of fact. he was the secret
service: his name was Moran, and he
was promoted 20 assistant chief for
the excellence OF his work I'm this
case The total expense for the onice
and field force OF the secret service
last year was Si35. 900. and by this
one investigation they saved 10 the
government over 500. 600 year.
Thanks 20 the restriction Imposed by
Congress Il D. now very difficult for
the secretary Of the treasury 20 use
the secret service freely even I'm his
own department. FOR instance, 10 use
them TO repeat what they did SO ad-
mirablv in the case OF this ink con-
tract The government Is further Grip
pied By the law fOrbidding II to em-
Dloy detective agencies. or course the
government can detect the most
dangerous crimes, and punish
the worst criminals. only by
or OF private detectives. TO hamper
il ia using the one, and forbid II TO
resort 40 the other. can inure TO the
benefit OF none save criminals.
WHAT FACTS SHOW.
The fact above given show beyond
possibility OF doubt that what the
secretary OF the treasury and I had
both written prior TO the enactment
OF the ObnOxious provision. and what
have since written IN my message
TO the Congress, state the facts exactly
as they are. The obnoxious provision
IL Of benefit only 10 the criminal class
and can be OF benefit only TO the
criminal class. II Il had been embodi-
ed in the law az the time when I be-
came president all the prosecutions
above mentioned. and many others
OF the same general type, would
either not have been undertaken or
would have been undertaken with
the government at a great disadvan-
tage and many, and probably most
Of the CHER offenders would have
gone scot-free instead Of geing punt
shed for their crimes.
An ABSOLUTE NECESSITY.
such a body as the secret service.
such "a body OF trained Investigating
agents. occupying a permanent posi-
ton In the government service and
separate from local investigating
forces In different departments. is an
absolute necessity N the best work
ls TO be done against criminals IL is
by far the most efficient instrument
possible to use against crime or
course the more efficient an instru-
meut u.s. the more dangerous it Is X
misused To the argument that force
like this can be misused il Is only
necessary tc answer that the c0ndi-
ton of its usefulness II handled pro-
perry is that il shall be so efficient
as to be dangerous n handled inn
properly. Any instance OF abuse by the
secret service or other investigating
force in the departments should be
unsparingly punished: and Congress
should hold itself ready at any and
an times TO investigate the executive
departments whenever there is reason
20 believe that any such instance Of
abuse has occurred. / wish to cmpha-
size my more than cordial aCquies-
ccnce IN the view that this Is not only
the right Of Congress, but emphati-
cally It's duty. To use the secret SER
vice in the investigation OF purely
private or political matters would be
a gross abuse But there has been on
single Instance OF such abuse during
my term as president.
No conclusion I most earnestly
ask, In the name OF good government
and decent administration in the
name OF honesty and for the purpose
Of bringing 90 justice violators OF the
federal laws wherever they may he
found. whether n public or private
life. that the action taken by tho
house last year he reversed When this
action was taken, the senate cOm-
mittee. under tho lead of the late
Senator Allison. having before IL
strongly-worded protest (AppendiX
ID from Secretary COrtelyou like
thai ne had sent 10 Mr. Tawuev. ac-
cepted the secretary views and the
senate passed the bill Ia the shape
presented by senator Allison Ia the
conference, however the house con-
ferccs insisted on the retention of
the provision they had inserted. aud
the senate Welded
The chief OF the secret service IS
paid salary utterly inadc0uated 10
the Importance of his functions aud To-
the admirable way in which DE- has
performed them I earnestly urge that
10 boz increased 90 $4,000 per annum
MISC urge that tha secret service be
placed where 90 properly belongs. anl
made bureau Boo the department OF
Justice, as the chicr uf tho secret
service has repeatedly requested. bat
whether This s done or NOT. DO should
he explicitly provided chat thc secret
service can Doe used io dofoci and
punish crime wherever 10 D. found
THEODORE ROOSENELr
The White House. January q. 1909.