The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-01-08
Strong Secret Service Mes /,
sage of President Reveals
Rings Plan to Weaken the /
Commerce Law.
HOUSE MEMBERS MUTE
CONCERNING CHARGES
congressman Sore Because
They Realize the President
Is in Right. While They Are
In the Wrong.


Washington. Jan. S.-WrithinE uhr
der the castigation administered by
the president in his message. the
members of the house of representa-
tives are allowing their indignation to
find expression chiefly In cloakrUOm
among themselves and
in mild hints that they may yet find
a way to answer Mr.. Roosevelt's char
ges
They are no less sore because they
know the president is right and they
are wrong, nor because they realize
that the public will stand with the
president, and against them. IL they
tecting criminals by destroying the ef-
ficiency OF the secret service bureau.
1t Is their absolute impotency that
irks them. rather than the actual
charges which have been made
against them. They know they have
been discredited in the eyes of the
American people, but worst Of all.
they know they have brought the dis
credit upon themselves.
Representative James A. Tawney,
of MinnesO chairman Of the apprO-
priati0n committee and the man signl-
ed out by the president as chiefly
responsible for depriving the govern
ment OF the means of detecting and
Furnishing crime. has returned to
Washington. He would neither dis
cuss the message NOR say what - -
tends to do.
'.Just now" said he. ''the issue II
one between the president and the
house of representatives. I do not
want to interfere by making the issue
one between the president and my
self"
Mr.. Tawney did not agree with the
suggestion that the president has al
ready raised an issue between himself
and Mr.. Tawney. by charging Tawney
with falsehood and wilful misrepre-
sentation of the facts in his speeches
to the house.
He wisely prefers that the fight
should continue to be waged against
the president by the whole house
membership which affords him IN op-
portunity to conceal himself behind
the membership. thereby making It
possible that his own discreditabls'
will be lost sight Of.
Mr. Tawney intimated that he might
have something to say TO the house
later on. Other members are also
promising that they may say some
thing. The majority Of them, how
ever. realize that their greatest safety
lies in silence.
His Political Career Near End.
Tawney, for instance had a hard
fight to get himself renominated for
membership in the next congress and
1t is believed that should he now en-
gage in q controversy with the presi.
dent on such q question as has been
raised by the latter. his defeat two
years hence would be certain.
tits probable, no matter what Taw-
ney does. that his political career Is
rapidly drawing to q close. His close
affiliation with Speaker Cannon is not
liked in Minnesota and when there is
added, to this such exposure Of his
methods and the Influences which de-
termine his conduct In the house. his
reelection would appear to be impos-
sible in any state with the possible
exception of Pennsylvania, where ex-
posures count for nothing.
Other republican members are situa-
ted exactly as is Mr.. Tawney. and
while they would give anything to be
able to say what they think Of the
president. prudence compels them to
exercise self-restraint-
| 1t is not that they have been mis-
represented that they complain. II fs
that the president has violated their
Town code of political ethics by calling
attention 10 their misconduct and BY
basing his action upon the assumption
that members Of congress should be
honest. publfc-spirited. courageous. in.
telligent and Independent
a Oiew at cannoniem.
They feel that the president had NO
right to expect manifestation Of any
of these qualities from men who owe
their places largely TO machine control
OF elections and to the willingness OF
men elected to take their orders from
those who represent corrupt and de-
bauching Influences.
! This applies particularly to the men
who control affairs In the house, but
| no less than that rank and nle which
/ the president excuses bscAnse he
| knows they voted n they were told to
vote without knowledge of What they
i were doing and without care Tor the