The Ordway new era., 1909-01-08

mfr. 1heriey stated that there nad
been pronounced abuses growing out OF
tho use Of the secret service for purposes
other than those intended putting his
statement In the form of a question, and
In the same form further stated that the
private conduct of members of congress-
senator's. and others ought not to be In
pestigated by the secret service, and that
they should not investigate a member Of
congress- who had been accused of con-
duct unbecoming gentleman and q
member of congress- In addition to these
assertions couched as questions, he made
one positive declaration. that This secret
service Mt one time was used for the pur-
pose OF looking nito the personal con-
uuct or a member of congress- This ar
gumcnt OF Mr.. Sherley, the only real ar
gumcnt M to the merits OF the question
made on behalf of the committee on ap-
preparations. will be found In columns 1
and OF page 1856. and column l of page
oS3i or the Congressional Record. In col
uhin or page $500 Mr.. Sherley refers to
the improperly OF permitting tho secret
service men to investigate men In the
departments. officers of tho army and
navy ana members Of congress; in col
uinn !. page 5557. he refers only to menu
pers or congress. His speech puts most
weight on the investigation OF members
OF congress
"hat appears in the record is filled
out ana explained by an article which ap-
peared In the Chicago Inter Ocean OF
January 3. 1904. under a Washington
nead'ine' and which marked the begin
hihs OF this agitation against the secret
service. IL was n special article of about
a'ooo words, written. l was then In
formed and now understand, by Mr.. l..
W. Busbey. at that time private secretary
10 the speaker of the house. 1t con-
tained an utterly unwarranted attack on
the secret service division of the treas
ury department and its chief
Al the time Of this publication tho
WORK OF IN" secret service. which was
thus assaulted. included especially the In
'estiSation OF great land frauds In tho
west west and the securing Of evidence to
neip the department of Justice in tho
bccf-trust Investigations at Chicago
which resulted in successful prosecutions
Efforts to XIII Move
Found to Be UnavaiIina.
These methods proved unavaiIing to
prevent the wrong. Messrs. Tawney and
smith. and their fellow members on thu
appropriations committee paid no heed to
'ne protests: and rs the obnoxious pro-
vision was Incorporated in the sundry
civii Dill. II was impossible for me to con-
slider or discuss 1t on its merits. as I
should have done had II been in n sep
arate bill. Therefore I have now taken
the only method available, that OF dis
cusslng u In my message to congress: and
as All EFFORTS to secure what I regard as
proper treatment OF the subject without
recourse to plain speaking had failed, I
nave spoken plainly and directly and
have set forth the facts In explicit 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 n wide range OF ofYenses
against the federal law. BY. far the most
important OF these related to the public
domain. as to which there was ur-
covered far-reachnE and widesr :ead
system OF fraudulent transactions invoiv-
ing both the Illegal acquisition and tho
Illegal fencing of government land: and,
In connection with both these offenses.
the crimes OF perjury and subornation 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 the lawless
character OF some OF their employees.
made the Investigations not only difficult
but dangerous. In Colorado one OF tho
secret service men was assass!nated.