Albuquerque citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1907-1909, 1909-01-04

done In the case of Senators Mich
ell and Burton, and Representatives
Williamson, Hermann and briggs
at different times since l have been
president This would simply be do
ing my duty in the execution and en-
forcement of the laws without re-
spect to persons. But l do not regard
it as within the province or the du-
ties of the president to report to the
House alleged delinquencies" OF
members, or the supposed Corrupt
action" of a member "in his official
capacity" This membership of the
House is by the constitution placed
within the power of the House alone.
In the prosecution of criminals and
the enforcement of the laws the
president must resort to the courts
of the United States.
In the third and fourth clauses of
the preamble it is stated that the
meaning of my words is that "the
majority of the congressman are in
fear of being investigated by secret
service men" and that Congress as
a whole was actuated by that motive
in enacting the provision in question"
and that this is an impeachment of
gress. The statements are not, I
think, in accordance with the facts.
The portion of my message referred
to runs as follows:
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
benefit only, and could be OF benefit
only, to the criminal classes. If de-
liberately 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 a greater or less extent
by the executive heads of various de-
partments for twenty years. To these
practices we owe the securing of the
evidence which enabled us to drive
great lotteries out Of business and Sc
cure a quarter of a million OF dol
lars in fines from their promoters.
These practices have enabled US to
discover some OF the most outrageous
frauds in connection 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 evil
dence indispensable in order TO Sc
cure the conviction OF the wealthiest
and most form liable criminals with
whom the government has to deal,
both those operating in violation OF
the antitrust law and others. The
amendment in question was Of benefit
tc no one excepting to these crimin-
ais, and it seriously hampers the
government in the detection of crime
and the securing of justice. More
over, it not only affects departments
outside the treasury, but it tends to
hamper the secretary OF the treas
Ury himself in the effort to utilize the
employees OF his department so as to
best meet the requirements OF the
Iublic service 1t forbids him from
preventing frauds upon the customs
service, from investigating irregu-
larities in branch mints and assay
Offices, and has seriously crippled him.
tt prevents the promotion OF employees
in the secret service. and this further
discourages good effort. In its pres
ent form the restriction operates only
would at once be brought, as was