The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-01-08

ton or the antitrust law and others. The
amendment In question was OF benefit to
no one excepting to these criminals, and
II seriously hampers the government In
the detection OF crime and the securing OF
justice. Moreover II not only Affects de-
partments outside OF the treasury. but II
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 in
| vestigating irregularities In branch minis
| and assay offices and has seriously Grip
pied him. 1t prevents the promotion of
r employees In the secret service. and this
further discourages good effort. In its
| present form the restriction operates only
| to the advantage of the criminal. of the
| wrongdoer.
The chief argument in favor of the pro-
| vision was that the congressman did not
| themselves wish to be investigated by
| secret service men. Very little of such
investigation has been done in the past.
| But 1t is true that the work of the secret
| service agents was partly responsible for
| the indictment and conviction of a SEN
| ator and q congressman for land frauds
| in Oregon. 1 do not believe that II is
| In the public interest to protect Grim
mails in any branch Of the public service
| and exactly as we have again and again
during the past seven years prosecuted
| and convicted such criminals who were
| in the executive branch of the govern
| ment. so in my belief we should be given
| ample means to prosecute them If found
| in the legislative branch. But If this is
not considered desirable a special excep-
| ton could be made in the law prohibit
| ing 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
nrQVant n TO hot afpa
action against criminals by the executive
branch of the government.
Asks Careful Reading Of Message.
careful reading Of this message
will show that / said nothing to war
rant the statement that "the majority
of the congressman were in fear of
being investigated by the secret serv-
Ice men" or that congress as a whole
was actuated by that motive" l did
not make any such statement in this
| message. Moreover, have never made
any such statement about congress as
a whole nor with few inevitable eX-
ceptions, about the members of con-
gress in any message or article or
speech. On the contrary, 1 have al
ways not only deprecated, but vigor-
ously resented. the practice of inds-
eliminate attack upon congress and
indiscriminate condemnation of all
congressman, wise and unwise, fit and
unfit, good and bad alike. No one real
ICES more than | the Importance Of
cooperation between the executive
and congress. and no one holds the au-
thority and dignity of the congress of
the United States in higher respect
than / do. I have not the slightest
sympathy with the practice Of Judging
men for good or for i'll not on their
several merits. but in n mass. as mem
bers of one particular body or one
caste. To put together all men holding
or who have held particular Office.
whether it be the Office Of president
or judge or senator or member of the
house of representatives, and to class
them all, without regard to their in
dividual differences, as good or bad
seems to me utterly indefensible. and
1t is equally indefensible whether the
good are COMPOUNDED with the bad in
a heated and unwarranted champion
ship Of all or in heated and unwar- |
ranted assault upon all. I would nei- |
Their attack nor defend all executive |
officers in mass, whether presidents, |
governors, cabinet officers or officials |
of lower rank, nor would l attack or |
defend all legislative officers In mass |
The safety of free government rests |
very largely in the ability Of the plain, |
everyday citizen to discriminate be- |
him well and those public servants |
who serve him i'll. He cannot thus |
discriminate if he is persuaded to pass |
judgment upon man not with refer
encc TO whether lie is fit or unfit |
public servant, but with reference to |
whether he is an executive or legisla- |
tive officer, whether he belongs to one |
branch or the other of the government.
Says Message Is Misunderstood.
This allegation in the resolution, |
therefore, must certainly be due to an |
entire failure to understand my mes
sage.
The resolution continues, THAT the |
president be requested to transmit to |
the house any evidence upon which he
based his statemcu's that the chief |
argument in favor of the provision |
was that the congressman did not |
themselves wish TO be investigated by |
secret service men," This statement.
which was an attack upon no one, still |
less upon the congress, is sustained by |
the facts.
If you will turn to the Congressional
Record for May last, pages 1858 to
$780, inclusive, you will find the de-
bate on this subject Mr.. Tawney of
Minnesota, Mr.. Smith of Iowa, Mr..
Sherley of Kentucky and Mr.. Fitzger-
aid Of New York appear in this debate
as the special champions of the pro-
vision referred to. Messrs. Parsons,
Bennett and Driscoll were che leaders
of those who opposed the adoption of
the amendment and upheld the right of
the government to use the most eff
tient means possible in order to de-
tect criminals and to prevent and pun
ish crime. The amendment was car
ried In the committee of the whole.
where no votes Of the Individual mem
bers are recorded, so l am unable to
by mentioning the mem
horo hn x.ntoI for onI tha ,,,ao,hor. |