The state herald., 1909-01-08

'Mr Sherley stated that there had
been pronounced abuses growing out OF
the 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
vcstlgated by the secret service, and that
they should not investigate n member OF
congress- who had been accused of con-
duct unbecoming gentleman and a
member of congress- In addition to these
assertions couched as questions. he made
one positive declaration, that This secret
service ut one time was used for the pur-
pose OF looking nito the personal con-
duct OF member of congress- This ar
gument of Mr. Sherley. the only real ar
g6ment as 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
1851 Of the Congressional Record. In col
umn I of page 5556 Mr.. Sherley refers to
the impropriety 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 5557. he refers only to mem
bcrs of congress- His speech puts most
weight on the investigation of members
Of congress-.
What appears In the record Ia filied
out and explained by an article which ap-
peared In the Chicago Inter- Ocean OF
January 3. 1904. under a Washington
headline. and which marked the BEGIN
ming OF this agitation against the secret
service. 1t was special article of about
1000 words. written. as I was then in
formed and now understand, by Mr.. L.
w. Busbey. at that time private secretary
TO the speaker of the house. It con-
tained an utterly unwarranted attack on
the secret service division of the treas
ury department and Its chief
AT the time of this publication ths
work OF the secret service, which was
thus assailed. included especially the In
vestisation of great land frauds in the
west, and the securing of evidence to
help the department OF justice in the
beef-trust Investigations at CHICAGO.
which resulted in successful prosecutions.
Efforts to XIII Move
Found to Be Unavailina.
These methods proved unavaiiinr to
prevent the wrong Messrs Tavnev ana
smith. and their fellow members on this
appropriations committee paid no heed to
the protests: and as the obnoxious pro-
vision was Incorporated in the sundry
civil bill. 1t was impossible for me to con
slider or discuss II on Its merits. ss
'"o"iu nave uone had IL been In q sep
arate bill. Therefore I have now taken
the only method available, that of dis.
cussing 1t in my message to congress; and
as all Efforts TO secure what I regard as
proper treatment OF the subject withou,
recourse to plain speaking had failed.
have spoken plainly and directly. and
have set forth the facts In explicit terms
Since 1901 the Investigations covered
by the secret service division-under this
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 ofrenses
against the federal law. BY far the most
Important of these related to the public
domain. as to which there was un.
| covered far-reaching and widespread
system Of fraudulent transactions involy.
| Ing both the Illegal acquisition and tn.
Illegal fencing OF government land: and
In connection with both these ofrenses
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 ant
their political affiliations. and the lawIes,
| character OF some of their employees
made the investigations not only difficul
but dangerous. In Colorado one of this
secret service men was assassinated.