Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1909-01-07

amendment In question was OF benefit 10
no one excepting TO these criminals, and
II seriously hampers the government H.
the detection OF crime and the securing Of
Justice. Moreover. IL not only Affects de-
partments outside OF I've treasury, but Il
tends 10 hamper the secretary Of iLo
treasury himself IN the effort 10 utilize
the employees of his department so as to
best meet the requirements OF the public
service. IL forbids him from preventing
frauds upon the customs service, from in
vestigating Irregularities I'm branch mints
and assay offices and has seriously Grip
pied him. IL prevents the promotion OF
Employees In the secret service, and this
further dscourages good effort In It's
present form the restriction operates only
TO the advantage OF the criminal OF the
wronRdoer
The chief argument In favor of the pro-
. vision was that the congressman did not
themselves wish to be investigated by
secret service men. Very little of such
investigation has been done I'm the past.
But Il is true that the work OF the secret
service agents was partly responsible for
the Indictment and conviction OF SEN
ator and a congressman for land frauds
In Oregon. | do not believe that il is
In the public interest to protect Grim
mails I'm any branch OF the public service,
and. exactly az we have again and again
during the past seven years prosecuted
in the executive branch of the govern
ment. so in my belief we should be given
ample means TO prosecute them II found
In the Legislative branch. But II this is
not considered desirable a special excep-
ton could be made In the law prohibit
! ing the use OF the secret service force In
investigating members OF the congress.
II would be far better to do this than TO
do what actually was done and strive TO
prevent or al least to hamper effective
action against criminals by the executive
J branch of the government
Asks Careful Reading Of Message.
careful reading of this message
Will show that l said nothing to war
rant the statement that "the majority
Of the congressman were in fear of
being investigated by the secret serv-
Ice men" or that congress as a whole
was actuated by that motive" / did
not make any such statement I'm this
message. Moreover, | have never made
any such statement about congress as
whole nor with n few inevitable ex-
ceptions, about the members Of con
gress In any message or article or
speech. On the contrary. I have al
ways not only deprecated, but vigor-
ously resented, the practice of indis-
eliminate attack upon congress and
! indiscriminate condemnation Of all
congressman, wise and unwise, fit and
unfit, good and bad alike. No one real
lies more than ] the importance of
cooperation between the executive
and congress, and no one holds the au-
thority and dignity OF the congress Of
the United States In higher respect
than ] do. / have not the slightest
sympathy with the practice Of Judging
men for good or for III not on their
several merits. but in a mass, as mem
bers of one particular body or one
caste. To put together all men holding
or who have held particular office,
whether 1t be the office OF president
or judge or senator or member OF the
house of representatives. and to class
them all. without regard to their in
dividual differences, as good or bad
seems to me utterly indefensible, and
II IS equally indefensible whether the
good are COMPOUNDED with the bad in
heated and unwarranted champion
ship of all or in a heated and unwar-
1
Their attack nor defend all executive
officers in Il mass. whether presidents,
governors, cabinet officers or officials
of lower rank, nor would | attack or
defend all legislative officers I'm mass.
The safety of free government rests
very largely In the ability Of the plain.
everyday citizen to discriminate be-
tween those public servants who serve
him well and those public servants
who serve him i'll. He cannot thus
discriminate If he Is persuaded TO pass
judgment upon a man not with refer
ence TO whether he IS n fit or unfit
public servant but with reference to
whether ne is an executive or legisla-
tive officer. whether he belongs to one
branch or the other OF the government.
Says Message is Misunderstood.
This allegation in the resolution,
therefore. must certainly be due to an
entire failure to understand my mes
sage.
The resolution continues, THAT the
president be requested to transmit to
the house any evidence upon which he
based his statements that the chief
argument i'm 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.
If you will turn to the Congressional
Record for May 1 last, pages 1903 to
$3.50. inclusive. you will find the de
bate on this subject. Mr.. Tawney of
Minnesota, Mr.. Smith of Iowa, Mr..
Sherley Of Kentucky and Mr.. Fitzger-
aid of New York appear In this debate
as the special champions of the pro-
vision referred to. Messrs. Parsons,
Bennett and Driscoll were the leaders
of those who opposed the adoption of
the amendment and upheld the right of
the government to use the most eff
Client means possible in order to de
tect criminals and TO prevent and pun
ish crime. The amendment was car
ried In the committee of the whole.
where no votes of the individual mem
bers are recorded, so / am unable to
discriminate by mentioning the mem
bers who voted for and the members
who voted against the provision, but
greeted with applause. am well
aware, however that in any case of |
this kind many members who have no
particular knowledge of the point at
issue are content simDly to follow the |