Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1909-01-07
Message to Lower Branch
on Secret Service.
BIG STICK FALLS on FOUR
Champions Of Provision to Limit Scope
OF Investigators Are Raked Over
the Goals by RooseveIt-FederaI
SIeuths Defended by Executive.

Represents tives Tawney OF Minnesota,
Smith of Iowa. Sherley OF Kentucky. and
Fitzgerald OF New York when the execu-
tive sent a special message TO the house
OF representatives. berating those solons
for being champions OF the successful
move to place limitations upon the scope
of the secret service.
The president also declared that the
Interpretation OF the house of the secret
service clause in his last message was
misunderstood. and had there been any
evidence which would point TO the neces-
sity of an investigation OF members.
such evidence would long ago have been
turned over to the proper authorities.
The message was in answer to the res
olution transmitted from the house in
which the representatives asked for evil
dence upon which Mr. Roosevelt based
his statements that the chief argument
in favor OF the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish to
be investigated by secret service men,.
For the Ananias Club.
The message in part
81 am wholly at n loss to understand
the concluding portion of the resolution.
/ have made no charges of corruption
against congress nor against any member
OF the present house. If | had proof or
such corruption affecting any member or
the house in any matter as TO which the
federal government has jurisdiction, ac-
ton would at once be brought, IS was
done In the cases of Senators Mitchell
and Burton, and Representatives Will
Hanson, Herman and briggs, at differ
ent times since | have been president.
This would simply be doing my duty in
the execution and enforcement OF the
laws without respect to persons. But l
do not regard II as within the province
or the duties of the president to report
o the house alleged delinquencies' OF
sembers. or the supposed corrupt &C
ton of a member in his official capac-
ity The membership of the house is
by the constitution placed within the
power OF the house alone. In the prose-
| cution of criminals and the enforcement
OF the laws the president must resort to
| the courts of the United States.
! I'm the third and fourth clauses OF the
! preamble IL is stated that the meaning OF
| my words is that the majority OF the
! congres smen are in fear of being inves-
| tisated by secret service men and that
| congress as a whole was actuated by
| that motive I'm enacting the provision in
question: and rat this is an impeach-
msnt OF the honor and integrity OF the
| congress. These statements are not,
think, In accordance with the facts.
Misunderstood. He Says.
."This allegation I'm the resolution, there
fore. must certainly be due to an entire
1 failure TO understand my message.
"'rhe resolution continues: That the
president be requested to transmit 10 the
! house any evidence upon which he based
! his statements that the "chief argument
! in favor of the provision was that the
! congressman did not themselves wish to
be Investigated by secret service men
| This statement. which was an attack
| upon no one. still less upon the congress-
! is sustained by the facts.
eff YOU will turn to the Congressional
4 Record for May / last. pages 5553 10 556o,
inclusive you will find the debate on this
subject. Mr.. Tawney OF Minnesota, MT.
| Smith OF Iowa. Mr. Sherley Of Kentucky,
and Mr. Fitzgerald of New York appear
| in this debate as the special champions
! of the provision referred to- Mcssrs. Par
/ sons Bennett and Driscoll were the lead
crs Of those who opposed the adoption
of the amendment and upheld the right OF
! the government to use the most eflclent
1 means possible in order 10 detect Grim
inals and 10 prevent and punish crime.
The amendment was carried in the com
mttee of the whole, where no votes or
the individual members are recorded, so
/ am unable to discriminate by mention
/ ing the members who voted for ana the
members who voted against the provision,
but it's passage, the journal records, was
greeted with applause. am wen aware.
however, that in any case of this kind
many members who have no particular
! knowledge OF the point at issue are con-
tent simply to follow the lead OF the
committee which had considered the mat
| ter. and have no doubt that many MEM
bers of the house simply followed the
| lead Of Messrs Tawney and Smith"
Secret Service Is Defended.
After soundly demonstrating with Rep
! reSentatives Tawney. Smith. Sherley and
FITZGERALD for their stand at the last
session in favor of placing limitations
| upon the duties OF secret service opera
tives the president set about TO defend
the operations of that branch OF the
| federal government and declared that the
! scope of the department should be ex-
tremely wide in order that all criminals
| might be brought to justice and that
| there might be no unjust determinations
He also pointed ont numerous instances
where the powers of the department had
! brought Justice upon the heads OF crimi'
nails and cited cases within the memory
OF the present administration. Mr. Koose-
welt also declared that none of the mem
bers OF the house had ever been invesu'
gated as set forth in various allegations
the gist OF which was appended TO the
message.
Asks Reversal of Action.
Concluding the president said
'ln conclusion. l most arnestly ask. ir
the name of good government and decent
! admi nistratiOn, In the name OF honesty
and for the purpose Of bringing TO justice
yiolators of the federal laws wherever
they NAV be found. whether in public oi
private life. that the action taken by tho
house last year be reversed When this
action was taken. the senate committee
under the lead OF the late Senator ALI
son, having before II strongly-wordeo
protest from Secretary Cortelyou like
that he had sent TO Mr.. Tawney. accepted
the secretary's views. and the senate
passed the bill in the shape presented 10y
Senator Allison. In the conference. how
ever the house conferees insisted on the
retention Of the provision they had in
serted. and the senate yielded.
1.-THE chief OF the secret service is paid
a salary utterly inadequate TO the impor
lance OF his functions and TO the admir-
able way in which he has performed
them earnestly urse that IL may b'
Increased 10 S6.0C0 per annum. also urge
that the secret service be placed where
u properly belongs. and made bureau
I'm the department Of justice, as the chic
OF the secret service has repeatedly re
quested: but whether this is done or not
II should be explicitly provided that The
secret service can be used to detect ane
punish crime wherever II is found.
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"