The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-09

ton by postoffce inspectors and Sc
cret service agents of Senator Till
! mans connection with an alleged
Land grab" in Oregon. He pre-
sents the evidence to Senator Hale,
in response to the latters request to
the heads of the various executive de-
partments for statement Of the oper-
ations OF the secret service.
Immediately after the conclusion of
the chaplain's prayer. Monday, Mr.
Tillman will ask the recognition of the
chair on a question of personal privi-
lege. Departing from nis custom of
eXtemporaneous speaking. he will read
his statement, thus insuring more care
full adherence to what he desires to say
than he would be able to give In off
hand speech.
The presidents communication to
Senator Hale follows:
The White House, January ., 1909
Ny Dear Senator Hale-I nave re-
the government, not only those to
whom you sent the requests, but those
TO whom you did not, to give me all
the information about the use Of spe-
cial attorneys, special agents, inspec-
tors, etc. in their departments which
will enable me TO put before you all
the facts which, As take it, your COM
mittee desire to have. | herewith
transmit these reports. call special
attention TO the report of the secretary
of state. the secretary of the treasury
and the attorney general
Let me at the outset earnestly ex-
press my cordial agreement with the
view tnat 1t Is not only the right, but
the duty of congress to investigate
the workings of the secret service, or
detective agents by which alone the
government can effectually safeguard
itself against wrong doing, punish
crime and bring to justice criminals.
/ am we'll aware Of the liability to
abuse inherent in any effective deteo-
tive system or select service system;
for the measure of the efficiency of
the system Is also the measure of the
seriousness of the abuses of the sys-
tenn If 1t be applied to wrong purposes
or directed In any improper manner.
II Is eminently TO the public interest
that there should be vigilant inquiry
into the workings Of this agency. both
by the heads Of the executive depart
ments and by congress-
1T nevertheless remains true that
this system is absolutely indispensable
If the popular interest Is TO be ade-
quatelv safeguarded and wrongdoers
taught to fear the law To show how
indispensable detectives are when I'M
portant work Of a confidential charac-
ter must be done. refer YOU to the eX-
perlence of the immigration commits
sion, appointed by congress and largely
composed Of senators and representa-
tives which has found it absolutely
necessary TO employ detectives In or
der to achieve the best results In
my communication of the ith inst. to
the lower house, | have set forth at
length the reasons. way, In my judg-
ment. IL Is eminently desirable that in
addition to the special detectives or
inspection service of each department
there should be in some one depart
ment. preferably the department OF
justice, a eervice which can be used at
need in any department in order TO
achieve the ends | have described
would like to state mere that very fire.
quenty accusations have been made to
me privately by members of the two
houses to the effect that the secret
service had been used as a police Of
morals or TO shadow senators, congress-
men and other public officials. Hither
10, the effort to discover the basis for
such allegations mas always been fruit
less. | should be greatly Obliged if
any information could be furnished me
tending TO show any instance where
this has been done in times past
Certain of the special agents, in
spectors and the like in the several
departments have highly specialized
work to perform In the treasury de-
partment, the secret service Is espe-
cially trained To deal with counter
feiters and the special agents with
customs frauds. In the postoflce de-
partment, the secret service is cspe-
especially trained and amply fitted
TO detect criminality or abuses or
fraudulent use of mails in connection
with the postal service. In the inter
ior department the special agents of
the land office and the inspector of the
Indian bureau are trained In similar
fashion to meet present needs. In ad-
dSion, IT Is urgently necessary as set
forth In Mr.. Roots accompanying re.
mort that there shall be q contr,l faro-
OF secret service mon who can be de-
tailed for work in any government
service
"Of course, in the investigator of
specific frauds We some times come
ACROSS wholly unexpected cases OF
misconduct. The frauds In the postpi
department which were unearthed
some six years ago for instance. OF,
fer case in point My suspicious
were first aroused by report made
as TO the very extravagnnt and Je. !
bauched manner OF life OF a CERTAIN
postal employe. the report being Madc
by an official of the secret service IN
connection with another iransactIon
At which he was at work So win
cases of abuse OF frankng privileges
she postoflice never of set pilroos7
iDspect5 any package sent through H.,
mails by senator or congressman.
but sometimes through the acclrcnr,I
breaking of such package .hc corferts
are exposed. and il they arc ot n
character which makes .her trans.