The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-01-07

cured the retur, to the sovernm ent OF
over 100000 acres oS grazing land: in
Colorado of NOR than 1900 acres Of min
eral land, aud suits are now pending in
yolviag 1884, 600 acres more.
How It Was Done.
All these Investigations in the lane
cases We're unsiertakcn in consequence OF
Mr.. Hitchcock. the then secretary of the
Interior, becoming convinced that there
were extensive" frauds committed In his
department. aud the ralnifications of the
afraid TO trust his own officials to deal in
tll~orougl.soing fashion with them. One
OF the secret service incii accordingly re
signed and was appointed IN the interior
department To carry ON this work. Thu
first thing he discovered was that the
special agents division or corps OF de-
department was largely under the contro.
of the land thieves: and in consequence
the Investigations above referred To haa
to be mad. by secret service men.
II the present law, for which Messrs.
Tawney. Smith, and the other gentlemen
] have mentioned above are responsible,
have been impossible, and most of the
criminals would nnqnestlonably have es-
capped. No more striking instance can be
central corps Of skilled investigating
agents who can at any time be assigned.
il necessary in large numbers. to investi-
.a.s some violation of the federal stat
utes, in no matter what branch OF the
public service. In this particular case
NEST OF the men Investigated who were
public servant We're in the executive
branch of the government. But in Ore
so,. where an enormous acreage of fraud
ujently alienated public land was recov-
cred for tho government: q United States
senator. Mr.. Mitchell. and a member OF
Tho lower House, MIR. Williamson. were
transferred from tie secret service: ana
another member Of congress was indicted.
The secret service was used to assist IL.
peonage laws. and owing partly thereto
numerous convictions were secured and
the Objectionable practice was practically
The most extensive ssnuggling of silk and
cpium in the history OF the treasury de-
the secret service in New York and Sc
attic and IL successful prosecution Of the
Offenders .undertek4n. Assistance OF the
ment OF Justice In the beef trust %investi-
CATION at Chicago. prosecutions were fol-
lowed up aud fines inflicted; The cotton
ment vas Investigated and the responsi-A
bic parties located. What was done In :
correction with lottery Investigations il
disclosed in Il letter just sent TO me by the
United States attorney for Delaware, run
ming as follows:
Lotteries Destroyed.
The destruction of the Honduras Ma
tio!lai Lottery company successor to the
Louisiana Lottery company, was entirely
The work of slla secret service. = g .
This excellent work. was accomplished by
MI, Wllk!c and his SlbOriinates. | thought 4
tinn.''
Three hundred Thousand dollars in fines
were collected by the government In tle
lottery cases. Again. the ink contract
fraud in the bureau OF engraving and
menb was investigated by the secret SER
vice and the guilty parties brought to jus
rice. MIR. TaMney stated in the debate that
service but by q clerk down there" con-
Vey'nts The impression that the clerk was
rot in inc secret service. As q matter OF
name was Moran. ansl lac was promoted to
assistant cilieI for the excellence OF his
THE total expense for the office and field
force ot the secret service last year was
slasIoc; and by This ono investigation they
Thanks To the restriction imposed by con-
sress. it is now very difficult for the sec
s e;So ct the areasurT to use the secret
s9r instance, to use them to repeat what
they did so admirably i'll tho ease Of this
' ariI,p opeSf by The 4i law E9 forbidaSnt Is i, f FL cher
i'ibs' detective agencies. OF course, the
government can detect the most danger
mails, only by the use. either of the secret
service or or private detectives; to hamper
IL IN using the one. and forbid it to resort
10 the other. can in,ire 10 the benefit OF
none save the criminals.
Just the Facts.
The facts above given show beyond nos
sibility of douh, that what the secretary
prior to the enactment OF the obnnrioua
provision, aad what Z hayo since writer,
n ny ,nassass to tie Congress. state the
provision is of benefit only to the criminal
class. ana can De sc benent only to the
s, mn. a. n cl IA ti,o 4 il had been embodied
ident. al! the prosecutions above men
toned, and many others o: the same gen
cral type. would either nor have Deem
undertaken OF would nave been under
taken with the so%vernrneut at q great dis
atlvnntase; aud many. and probably most
scot free instead OF being punished for
their crimes.
Such u body as the secret service, such
cupying a permanent position in the gov
sr11nent service. and separate from ioeal
inys.tlgat.ns forces in different depart
work is to be done against criminals ~
Is By far the most efficient Instrument
the more efficient an instrument is. the \
more danserous it is il misuscd. TO III.
a,sm,asnt tina a force like this can be
t!lat the condition of Its usefulness ~
handled properly, is that it shall be so e. !
i nt.nnor, as 70 be dangerous !. handlet M J
" DIN nv nv
secret service or Other Investigating fcraS
IN shS d;'I'aIf;nents should be unspar!ngE
,sa " at a,y ana all times to ,avestieats
me cNecutiVs dcplrtmsnts whenever there
IS reason 10 believe that any such Instances
Of + abuse ,1, mas ose,lrrea. ( wish to en,nha~
the view that this is not only the rirht -.
neng ths / huS %smphalieaily it's duty. 10
of purely private or political nSsttc,.
Mo.1se n be 2 gross abuse tut there has
during my term Us president. y"
Raise Wiikie's Paw.
In coneiusiou. most earnestly ask, IN
ADMINISTRATION in the name Of honestv
and for the purpose of bringing to iustics
violators 81 the federal laws T,herever
they may he found. whether in nuh11ic ar
pmE ans. ,a uff. 1 that h the action taken by the
action was taken, the Senate comnnittee
s anaeI ha .hs le1 3a,s Of the late senator Ali:
protest 1AppendiS ID from secfetary Cor
telyou like that he had sent to Mr. 1o NJ
nov QnrnI.taj1 Yht