The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-05

Denying that he charged any member
OF Congress with corruption or that ths'
majority OF the Congressman were afraid
OF being investigated By detectives, the
Presidents special message on secreri
service, called for in the House resolu-i
ton. was yesterday read 10 Congress.
The message was referred 10 the special
House Committee. A meeting viii be held
to-day. and report likely viii be made
this week.
The President gives the nsmes O FOR
mer Senators and Representatives con-
vieted IN connection with land frauds and
reiterates the declaration made in his
annual message that the limitations
placed by Congress OF the Secret Serv-
ice could be Of benefit only 70 the crini-
nal class
Pointing out the work done by the
Secret Service, the President refers %
the land. naturalization, lottery, silk,
opium. ink. and other frauds He recon-
mends that al the government detecuvai
services be consolidated into one bureau
and be attached 10 the Department q
Justice. He further recommends that ths'
salary Of Chief WiIkie be increased from
81, 90 70 $500 q year.
Not Used in Private Work.
The allegation that the President ever
used the Secret Service men in purely
private matters Is denied eEphatically.
Incidentally. ne charges that agitation
against the Secret Service was begun with
~ -----1~ 3, 49,. f-L;~---, r---- ~-ss-- f
written by l. White Busbey. the private
secretary Of Speaker Cannon
The President takes The attitude that
+ he was exactly right in making The ssser-'
/ tons that gave 50 much life 70 his mes.
sage read AT the pIening Of Congress
Il am wholly al loss 10 understand the.
/ concluding portion Of the House resolu-'
ition-~ SAYS me President I have made.
no charge against Congress, nor againstl
any member Of the present House. II I
/ had proof Of corruption affecting any
member of the House in any matter as
70 which the Federal government has.
/ jurisdiction. action would be brought at
once. as was done in the cases OF Sena-i
/ tors Mitchell and Burton and Repre-
sentatives Williamson. Hermann. and.
/ briggs At different times during my aG-
ministratio1 as President
a careful re7JzaE OF the message viii
show that I said nothing 10 warrant the,
statement tn the House resolution that
the majority Of the Congressmen were
afraid of being investigated by the Sc
f5set Service men, or 'tBat Congress as Z
whole was actuated by that motive
Refers to Debate.
In support Of his statement that tbs
! chief argument in favor Of the movement
10 restrict Secret Service was alleged
fear Of some members that they might
be investigated. the President refers the
House 10 the report Of the debate last
May on that subject He says response
bility for the action taken by the House
rested on the Committee on Appropria-
tons under the leadership OF Chairman
Tawnev. Representative Smith. OF Iowa.
Representative SherIey, Of Kentucky, and
Representative Fitzgerald. OF New York.
The President says the beginning OF
this agitation was the letter sent TO the
/ Chicago Inter Ocean by L White Bus
hey. private secretary 70 Speaker Can
non. At the tine this letter assailius
the Secret Service was published, the
President points ont. the government de-
tectives were working on the great land
frauds IN the West. and aiding in the
beef trust investigation
"But all Of this" continues the Presi-
dent. is Of Insignificant Importance
1 compared with the real issue. This is
sue is. simply. Does Congress desire that
the government shall have AZ its dis
posal the most efficient instrument for
the detection and punishment, or does It
not? The action last May was plainly
an action against the iaterests Of law
abiding people. and in its effect of benefit
( only 10 lawbreai1ers. Is the House now
willing 10 remedy the wTOng?"
Operations Reviewed.
The message reviews the operations OF
/ Secret Service men since IsT- They IN
covered a system for the fraudulent ac-
QUESTION and fencing OF public lands In
this work. the President points out. ons
Of the detectives was assassinated- IN
/ Nebraska sixty men were indicted for
land frauds and OF thirty-twO so far
tried tventy-eight have been convicted
/ The government has secured the return
/ OF Io00600 acres Of grazing land and OF
200 acres Of mineral land in Colorado.
L is suing for 5000 additional acres.
The destruction Of q lottery company,
says the message. netted the government
SSIr,v-e in fnes. In repeating The contract
for fraud IN the Bureau OF Engraving and
/ Printing they are said to have saved the
Il government S1o00o0 q year.
Attached TO the message IS a letter
from Secretary COrtelyou. Of the Treas
ury Department. 10 the House Committee
on Appropriations: the Busbey article.
and letters from the President 20 Speaker
Cannon and the late Senator Allison, all
bearing on this subject.
Extracts from Message
The message, In part, follows:
have not the Slightest Sympathy with TIE r-zc-
tce q 5sdsinE mea. for sood for Ill not o. their
several merits bit n Uass IS menhe-s q ons
particular body or orc Clste- To pct toce.ha- =:
men holding OF Eho have heid 4 particular orsos
Whether il Be the oficc of President o. alszs or
Senator OF Nenber q the House u Re7ressuts-
tiTes and % caSs them AL without regard to thei-
individual difcTCuccs as euod CT bad sszgns "a ma
utterly iuiefeDsihles and E eueliy i-defeuslbs
whether the god are c1DfounGed Nith the bad il
, Continued on Page 4. Column 2.