The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-01-04
PRESIDENT REPLIES WITH CONVINCING
FACTS TO SECRET SERVICE RESOLUTION

as whole was actuated by that mo-
tive In enacting the provision in ques-
tion," and that this is an impeach-
ment of the honor and integrity of the
!: congress. These statements are not
sca/ O. in accordance with the facts.
to to, runs 4! l!ers: vs.: message referred
IL Was Loaded.
Last year an amendment was in
corporated in the measure providing
for the secret service, which provided
that there should be no detail from
the secret service and no transfer
therefrom. 1t is not too much to say
that this amendment has been OF bene-
fit only, and could be of benefit only,
to the criminal classes. If deliber-
ately introduced for the purpose of
diminishing the effectiveness of war
against crime it could not have been
better devised to this end. 1t forbade
the practices that had been followed
to greater or less extent by the ex-
ecutive heads of various departments
for twenty years. To these practices
We owe the securing of the evidence
which enabled us to drive great lot
teries out of business and secure a
quarter Of million dollars in fines
from their promoters. These prac-
taces have enabled us to discover some
OF the most outrageous frauds in con-
nection with the theft of government
land and government timber by great
corporations and by individuals.
These practices have enabled us to
get some of the evidence indispensa-
bile In order to secure the conviction
OF the wealthiest and most formidable
with whom the government has to
deal. both those operating in VIOLA
tion of the antitrust law and others,
The amendment in question was of
benefit to no one excepting to these
criminals, and it seriously hampers
the government in the detection of
crime and the securing of justice.
Moreover, 1t not only affects depart
ments outside of the treasury, but 1t
tends to hamper the secretary of the
treasury himself in the effort to util-
ize the employees Of his department
SO as to best meet the requirements
of the public service. 1t forbids him
from preventing frauds upon the Gus
toms service, from investigating ir-
regularities In branch mints and as
say Offices. and has seriously Grip
pied him. 1t prevents the promotion
OF employees in the secret service,
and this further discourages good ef-
fort. In it's present form the restric-
ton operates only to the advantage
OF the criminal, of the wrongdoer.
"The chief argument in favor of the
provision was that the congressman
did not themselves wish to be investi-
gated 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 in
dictment and conviction of senator
and congressman for land frauds in
Oregon. / do not believe that it is
in the public interest to protect GRIM
inals in any branch Of public service,
and exactly as we have again and
again during the past seven years
prosecuted and convicted such GRIM
inals who were in the executive
branch Of the government, so in my
belief we should be given ample
means to prosecute them II found in
the legislative branch. But IL it is
not considered desirable a special ex-
ception could be made in the law pro-
hibitfng 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 prevent or at least
hamper effective action against GRIM
inals by the executive branch of the
government
"A careful reading of this message
Will show that have nothing to war;
rant the statement that the majority
OF the congressman were in fear Of
being investigated by the secret ser.
vice men," or that congress as a
whole was actuated by that motive"
did not make any such statement in
this message. Moreover 1 have never
made any such statement about con-
gress as a whole. nor. with q few
inevitable exceptions, about the men,
bers of congress-, In any message or
article or speech. On the contrary I
always not only deprecated but Wig
orously resented the practice of in
discriminate attack upon congress.
and indtscriminate condemnation of
all congressman, wise and unwise, fit
and unfit, good and bad alike No one
realizes more than the Importance
OF cooperation between the executive
and congress, and no one holds the
authority and dignity of the congress
of the United States in higher respect
than I do. have not the slightest
sympathy with the practice of judg-
ing men, for good or for i'll, not on
their several merits, but in a mass,
all men holding or who have held a
particular office. whether it be the
office of president. or judge, or SEN
ator, Or member of the house of rep
resentatives. and to class them all,
without regard to their individual diff
ferences. as good or bad, seems to me
utterly indefensible: and it is equally
indefensible whether the good are con-
founded with the bad in a heated and
unwarranted championship of all, or
in heated and unwarranted assault
upon all. [ would neither attack nor
defend all executive officers in mass.
whether president, governors, cabinet
Off1cors Or Off3cio1c Of Iowor ,,,,l.. 80.