The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-02-26
Vitriolic Denunciation of
 Detectives. A LIVELY DEBATE IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, Mir. Smith Says Roosevelfs Pets
 Are Worthless. Congressmsn Cook of Colorado Was Sc Dcnunciatory of the President That He Was Denied Privi- Iege of Continuing His
 Remarks.

Treasury Department was uttered fir the House today by MT. Smith tRepub. lican. Iowa,) during the consideration of the sundry civil bill.
 He likened the secret service men to common liars charged that they were unable to unearth gigantic land frauds recently discovered by the sec- retary of the interior and said the one President assassinated sincS secret ser vice men were detailed to watch the President, Mckinley. was shot down at Buffalo while Q secret service detec- tive stood on his side. He further said that a secret service man did not cap ture the murderer but 1t took a man with a black skin to do so.
 The discussion arose over an amend- ment by MT. Bennett (N. Y.). striking out the provision limiting the field of operations of the secret service. similar paragraph in the last appro- priation bill Is what gave rise to the Presidents strictures on members of Congress.
 MT. Bennett engaged in a general defense of the secret service detectives. His remarks were listened to intently by MT. Smith who at their conclusion spoke of the numerous special agents, postoffice inspectors and others. Ev- q higher type than the so-called secret service detective. He vehemently de- clared in speaking of the secret service that 1t was matter of common knowl- edge that one of the requisites of c detective was that he should be common liar. :"
 IIliterafe Detectives.
 The secret service, he said, were not so high and lofty that they should be the subject of admiration among a free people. Many of them, he said. work for g day in hunting down land fruads," when there Is not consid- erabie number of them that know legal from an Illegal entry"
 Respectable men. he said. with man, Hest sarcasm. would take places as postoffice inspectors and special agents of the interior department though oc- casionally they might have to do soma detective work. but, he asserted. the idea that some 8 or $4 a day man who is willing to be a common detective can familiarize himself with all laws, and, therefore, become useful as a specialist. is simply absurd"
 He illustrated his point by referring to case where secret service men were "called or and special agents allowed to do the work alone. and said that land frauds involving millions of dollars were unearthed.
 The secret service men, he charged, were worthless. and he said mo where except in the vain glorious boastings of Chief Wilkie and the testimony of men who did not know anything about it. did find that it had done anything except in the watching of jurors and the like.
 Continuing. MT. Smith suggested that If detectives were necessary to hunt down jurors. they should be assigned by the Department of Justice and not be taken from the force in the counter felt section of the Treasury Depart ment.
 ''Wouldn't that" interjected Mir. Stanley (Tenn.) with sarcasm. inter fere with the mystery, sensationalism and attractiveness of the secret ser vice?"
 Joining in the laughter which fol- lowed this query. MT. Smith. continu- ing, said that in prior years the abuse of the field of operation of the secret service was only incidental. but that now 1t has become an enormity. He referred to the assassination of Presi- dent Mckinley and seemed to throw In his remarks all the venom he pos- sessed.
 The only President assassinated since the secret service men were de- tailed to watch the President. he said, was when President Mckinley was shot at Buffalo. with a secret service man by his side, who was unable to observe the approaching murderer, with his bandaged hand. That man did not even apprehend the murderer.
 Then with the expression of bitter ness still on his counternance, he with black skin to capture the assas- sin"
 MT Cook (Rep.. CoIo.) also discussed the provision and In the course of his remarks frequently referred to the President in most uncomplimentary terms as in the following:
 "It is unfortunate not only for Pres- ident Roosevelt. but for the citizens of the Republic that he has not a le- gal mind and equipoise of reason. riding through and around the arena of political action on his broncho of arrogant, egotistical impulses. pre- tending to throw his lariat of execu- tion at the head and broad horns of capital, for the delectation of voting labor. and ending the scene with the cunning catch of prairie wolf or a gopher"
 Common Horse Thief.
 So denunclatory of the President was Mir Cook that he was denied the privi- lege of continuing his remarks after he had spoken but few minutes. In the main he was addressing himself to the work of the secret service agents in Colorado in a certain alleged land fraud case, one of whom. he stated, was q horse thief. The case. he said, had come to the United States Supreme Court and was unanimously decided in favor of the defendants.
 Referring to the attitude of the Pres ident in the matter of ferreting out crime, MT. Cook declared that "in all of this fuss and feathers of the whole the President and his Attorney General have not sent a sim gle plutocrat to the penitentiary
 Such keen political speculator and politician and financial strenuosity," he added. has never been seen before in this republic. and let us fervently hope that his like may never be seen again Look at the paragraphs of his rattled messages and you will be startled to see and read the insinuations and abus- i've phrases against the legislative and