The state herald., 1909-01-08
BIG STICK SlNASF1ES:
ROOSEVELT DEFENDS
THE SECRET SERVICE
In Message to House President De-
ClareS His Statements i'm Previous
Words to Congress Were Gross
ly Misunderstood.

''The resolution continues: That the
president be requested to transmit to the
house any evidence upon which he based
his statements that the chief argument
In favor OF the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish to
be Investigated by secret-servics men,
This statement. which was an attack
upon no one. stil less upon the congress.
is sustained by the facts.
IF you will turn to the Congressional
Record for May last pages 5553 to $3.50.
inclusive, you will fnd the debate OH this
subject. Mr. Tawney of Minnesota, Mr..
Smith OF Iowa. Mr.. Sheriey OF Kentucky.
and Mr.. Fitzgerald of New York. appear
In this debate as the special champions
of the provision referred to. Messrs. Par
sons, Bennett and Driscoll were the lead
ers OF those who opposed the adoption
of the amendment and upheld the right of
the government to use the most efficient
means possible In order to detect Grim
inals and. to prevent and punish crime.
The amendment was carried In the com
mittee of the whole. where no votes of
the individual members are recorded. so
/ am unable to discriminate by mention
ing the members who voted for and the
members who voted against the provision.
but Its passage. the journal records. was
greeted with applause. am well aware.
however. that In any case of this kind
many members who have no particular
knowledge of the point at issue. are con-
tent simply to follow the lead of the
committee which had considered the mat
ter and have no doubt that many MEM
bers of the house simply followed the
lead of Messrs. Tawney and Smith. with
out having had the opportunity to know
very much as to the rights and wrongs
of the question.
Chip 10 Knocked on
Roosevelt's Shoulder.
'T would not ordinarily attempt in this
way to discriminate between members of
the house. but as objection has been ta-
ken to my language. in which i simply
spoke OF the action of the house as a
whole, and as apparently there Is a de-
sire that should thus discriminate. / will
state that think the responsibility rest
ed on the committee on appropriations.
under the lead OF the members whom I
have mentioned.
Now as TO the request OF the congress
that ] give the evidence for my state
ment that the chief argument in favor
1 of the provision was that the congress
men did not themselves wish to be inves-
| tigated by secret service men.
''The part OF the Congressional Record
| to which ! have referred above entirely
| supports this statement. Two distinct
| lines of argument were followed In the
whether the law warranted the employ
| ment OF the secret service in departments
| other than the treasury. and this did not
touch the merits of the service In the
lenst. The other line OF argument went
| TO the merits OF the service. whether law
| fully or unlawfuly employed. and here
| the chief II not the only argument used
was that the service should be cut down
| and restricted because Its members had
| 'shadowed' or investigated members of
congress and other officers OF the govern
| ment. II we examine the debate In de-
| tail II appears that most of what was
urged In favor Of the amendment took the
| form OF the simple statement that the
committee held that there had been
| violation OF law by the use OF the secret
| service for other purposes than suppress
| ing counterfeiting land one or two other
| matters which can be dHrcgardedl. and
that such language was now 10 be used
| as would ereciunlly prevent all such 'vio-
| lstion of law hereafter. Mr.. Tawney. for
| instance. says: 1t was for the purpose
| of stopping the USE OF this service In
every possible way by the departments OF
| the government that this provision was
| Inserted: and Mr.. Smith says: Now. that
| was the only way In which any Limitation
| could be put upon the activities OF the
secret service Mr.. Fitzgerald followed In
| the same vein. and by far tho largest
| part OF the argument against the employ
| ment OF the secret service was confined
| to tho statement that II was In violation
| of law or course. such n statement IN
| not In my way an argument In favor OF
the Justice OF the provision. II Is not an
| argument for the provision MT NIL. II is
| simply a statement OF what the gentle
men making Il conceive TO have been the
| law.
n.-