Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-01-08
Instances In Which
Secret Service Starred.

In connection with the Nebraska prose-
cution the government has by decree Sc
cured the return to the government of
over a million acres of grazing land
In Colorado of more than 1000 acres of
mineral land. and suits arc now pending
involving 1000 acres more.
"All these investigations In tho land
cases were undertaken In consequence
Of Mr.. Hitchcock. the then secretary
of the Interior, becoming convinced that
there were cxtcnsive frauds committed
In his department: and the ramincations
Of the frauds were far-reachng that
he was afraid to trust his own officials
to deal in thoroughgolng fashion with
them. One OF the secret service men ac-
cordingly resigned and Yns appointed
in the interior department to carry on
this work. The nrst 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 above
referred to had to be made by secret
service men.
''If the present law. for which Messrs.
Tawney. Smith. and the other gentle
men I have above mentioned are respon-
sible, had then been in effect. this ac-
ton would have been impossible. and
most OF the criminals would unuuestion-
ably have escaped. No more striking In
stance can be ina gined OF the desirable
u
investigating agents who can at any tims
be assigned, II necessary in large num-
bers. to Investigate some violation OF the
federal statutes. in no matter what
branch of the public service. In this par
ticular 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 frauduIently alienated public land was
recovered for the government. United
States senator. Mr.. Mitchell. and a msm-
Der 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 president then gave a number of
other Instances. all of which tend to
point out the efficiency OF the secret
service. and he concludes:
I'm conclusion. most earnestly ask. in
the name of good government and de-
cent administration, in the name Of hon
esty and for the purpose Of bringing
to justice violators of the federal laws
wherever they may be found. whether in
public or private life. that the sotion
taken by the house last year be revarssd.
When this action was taken, the senate
committee. under the lead Of the late
Senator Allison, having before II
protest from Secretary
Cortsiyou like that he had sent to Mr..
Tawney, accepted the secretary's views;
and the senate passed the bill In the
shape presented by Senator Allison. In
the conference. however, tho house con-
fereas insisted on the retention of the
provision they had inserted, and the
senate yielded.
The chief of the secret service is
paid n salary utterly inadequate to tho
Importance of his functions and to the
admirable way in which he has per-
formed them. I earnestly urge that II
may be increased TO 5000 per annurn. I
also urge that the secret service be
placed where II properly belongs. and
made a bureau in the department OF
Justice, rs the chief OF tho secret service
has repeatedly requested; but whether
this is done or not. II should be ex-
piIcitiy provided that the secret service
can be used to detect and punish crime
wherever II Is found.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"