The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-01-08

mfr. sheriey stated that there haa
been pronounced abuses growing out Of
the use OF the secret service for purposes
other than those intended putting his
abatement In the form OF n question. and
IN tho same form further stated that ths
'private conduct Of members OF congress-.
senator's and others ought not to be In
vestigated by the secret service, and that
they should not investigate member OF
congress' who had been accused OF CON
duct unbecoming a gentleman and a
member OF congress- In addition TO these
assertions couched as questions, he made
one positive declaration. that THIS secret
service at one time war used for the pur-
pose of looking nito tho personal con-
duct OF a member OF congress- This ar
gument OF Mr. Sherlcy. the only real ar
gument as TO tho merits OF the question
made on behalf OF the committee on ap-
preparations. will be found In columns 1
and 2 OF page $3.50. and column ! OF page
1851 OF the Congressional Record. In col
umn OF page $3.50 Mr. sheriey refers 10
tho improperly OF permitting the secret
service men TO investigate men In the
departments. officers OF the army and
navy and members of congress; in col
umn !. page 555T. he refers only 10 mem
bers OF congress. His speech puts most
weight on the investigation OF members
OF congress
What appears In the record IL fiiled
out and explained by an article which an
peared In the Chicago Inter.ocean OF
january g. 1904, under a Washington
headline, and which marked the begin
ning OF this agitation against the secret
service. II was special article Of about
s,Ooo words, written. as I was then in
formed and now understand. by Mr.. L.
W. Busoey, at that time private secretary
10 the speaker OF the house. II con-
tained an utterly unwarranied attack on
the secret service division of tho treas
ury department and its chief
AZ the time OF this publication The
work OF tho secret service. which was
thus assailed, included especially tho in
Vestisauon OF great land frauds in the
west and the securing of evidence to
help the department OF Justice in the
bcef-trust Investigations at Chicago.
which resulted in successful prosecutions,
Efforts to Kill Move
Found 20 Be unavaii.na.
These methods proved unnvnIlinr TO
prevent the wrong. Messrs Tawney and
Smith. and their fellow members on the
appropriations committee paid no heed to
inc protests: and as the obnoxious pro-
vision was Incorporated In the sundry
clvii bill. II was impossible for me to con-
slder or discuss II on Its merits, as I
should have done had Il been in q sep
arato bill Therefore have now taken
the only method available, that OF dis
cussing II In my message TO congress: ana
ns AL EFFORTS to secure what regard A.
proper treatment OF the subject without
recourse 10 plain speaking had failed, !
nave spoken plainly and directly, and
nave set forth the facts In eKpllcit terms
Since 1901 the Investigations covered
by the secret service divislon--under tho
Practice which had been for many years
recognized as proper and legitimate, and
which had received the sanction OF the
highest law officers OF the government
have covered Wide range OF offonses
against the federal law, by far the most
Important of these reiated TO the public
domain. hs TO which there was un-
covered far-reaching and widespread
syatem OF fraudulent transactions involv-
Ing both the Illegal acquisltion and the
Illegal fencing OF government land; ana.
In connection with both these ofensss.
tho crimes Of perjury and subornatlon Of
perjury. Some OF the persons involved
IN these violations were OF great wealth
and OF wide political and social influence
Both their corporate associations and
their political affiliations. and tho lawless
character OF some OF their employees
made the Investigations not only difficult
but dangerous. In Colorado one of the
secret service men wos aasassinated.
Instances In Which
Secret Service Starred.
I'm connection with the Nebraska prose-
euton the government has by decree Sc
cured the return 10 the government OF
over million acres OF grazing land:
In Colorado of more than 1000 acres Of
mineral land. and suits arc now pending
involving $4,000 acres more
"Ali these Investigations In the land
cases werc undertaken In consequence
OF Mr.. Hitchcock the then secretary
OF the interior, becoming convinced that
there were extensive frauds committed
IN his department: and the ramihcations
OF the frauds were so far-reaching that
he was afraid to trust his own officials
10 deal In thoroughgolnE fashion with
them, One OF the secret service men ac-
cordingly resigned and was appointed
In the interior department 10 carry on
this work The iirst thing he discovered
was that the special agents division or
corps OF detectives OF the land office of
the interior department was largely un-
der the control OF the land thieves: and
IN consequence the Investigations aboNS
referred to had TO be made by secret
service men.
''If the present law. for which Messrs
Tnwney. Smith. and the other gentle |
men have above mentioned are rospon-
sible, had then been in effect. this ao- |
ton would have boon impossible. and |
most OF the criminals would unquestion- |
ably have escaped. No more striking In |
stance can be imagined OF the desirable
lily OF having a central corps Of skilled |
Investigating agents who can at any time |
be assigned. II necessary IN large num- |
bcrs. to investigate some violation OF ths |
federal statutes, In no matter what |
branch Of tbs public service. In this par
ticuiar case most Of the men Investigated |
who were public servants were In the |
executive branch Of the government. But |
In Oregon. where an enormous acreage |
OF fraudulentiy aiienated public land was
recovered for tho government a United
States senator. Mr.. Mitchell. and a mem |
Dor OF the lower house. Mr.. Williamson. |
were convicted on evidence obtained by |
men transferred from the secret service, |
and another member OF congress was in |
dicted."
Chief Asks for Reversal
Of Action Of soions. |
The rresfdent than 0ava n numbar AZ /