Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-09
HOUSE GIVES PRESI.
DENT A HARD JOLT,
Continued From Page One.)


ton be taken with respect to the mes
sage of last Monday because of it's be-
ing "unresponsive to the inquiry of the
House. as to what the President
meant when he said, referring to the
limitation placed upon the field of
operations of the Secret Service, that
chief argument in favor of the pro-
visions was that the Congressman did
not themselves wish to be Investigate
ed"
When Chairman Perkins of New
York, of the special committee. arose
to make his report, he faced an almost
full membership, While the galleries
were packed with interested spectators.
Messrs. Tawney, Smith OF Iowa, Shir-
| ley and Fitzgerald We're on the floor,
prepared by word of mouth to resent
what they deemed to be the insinua-
| tions of the President upon them as
| members of the committee on appro-
| priations. They were not alone in their
| indignation. Indeed for some time past
| the feelings of the members have been
| growing more and more intense, and
some of them have been giving way
/
| fully testified to their wounded pride
Mr.. Perkins Speech.
| Mr. Perkins addressed the House as
| follows:
ITO your committee were referred
certain passages contained in the an
nuaI message of the President. We
were to decide whether, in our opinion,
those portions of the message We're
l l., hot
gard for the dignity of a great legisla-
tive body should forbid their reception.
We are of the opinion that the portions
of the message do constitute a breach
of the privileges of this House and that
therefore, following the precedent set
in similar cases, the House should de-
cline to consider them.
with the merits OF the question with
reference to the use of the secret SER
vice men, this committee has nothing
to do. We fully recognize the righ,
of the President to express his disap-
prevail of legislation adopted by the
Congress, to point out it's defects ant
to ask that they be remedied. The
question will doubtless be considered
by Congress and such action taken a.
may seem to be in the public inter
| 5St.
but your committee has to consider
the criticisms made by the President
upon the motives of Congress in its &C
ton last session to consider his sug
gestions as to future legislation and t
report whether Congress with proper
self-respect can receive them. 1t Il
stated in the message that the chic
argument in favor of provisions wa:
that the congressman did not them
selves wish to be investigated by secre
service men and this is repeated il
the additional message. If this wa:
the chief argument it must have beei
by this argument that the majority o
members We're led to vote in favor O
the offending provision. Your commit
tee is unable to share in this belief. II
the arguments of the House the gen
tleman from Kentucky, speaking in ia
vor of the amendment, asked if it wa:
intended that if 4 member of Congress:
was guilty of unbecoming conduct the
department would be warranted in in
! vcstigating his conduct by secret ser
vice men. And the gentleman from
New York, opposing the amendment
stated that we all knew, as lawyer:
that we We're not federal officers; tina
We were component members of the
government and there was no one ovel
= us. Then the gentleman from Ken
lucky said, Notwithstanding the view
Of the gentlemen from New York, the
private conduct Of a member of Con
sress had once been investigated b!
secret service men, but the gentleman
|
and solitary instance and stated tht
Investigation in the case cited had no
been made by member of the secre
: service, but by police officer Of Wash
. ington.
I'VE do not think that even the
most timorous of Congressman coulC
, have been induced by these arguments
to vote in favor of the amendment
from fear that if he voted NO the
secret service might ferret out his Sc
cret sin.
Nor does it seem that statements
, made in 1904 even by a newspaper re-
porter are convincing evidence of the
motive which actuated congressman in
their votes in 1908. The statements
made in newspapers are sometimes
questioned even at the White House
"Thc statement contained in the
message that the chief argument in
favor of the provision was that the
iccngressmcn themselves did not wish
to be investigated, can have but one
meaning. 1t means that Congress voted
for the measure from an improper mo-
tive. Any congressman whose vote can
be determined by unwillingness to have
his own conduct investigated by Sc
cret Service men, or by any other man,
must surely be in fear of the law. If it
was believed that a majority Of this
body were in fear that their acts
might be investigated and their crimes
discovered the respect of the people,
which it is important for the republic
that Congress should posses, would be
impaired, if not destroyed.
1T is dangerous to the republic that
large portion of our people should
have their confidence shaken in the
judges who interpret the law; it is
equally dangerous that their confidence
should De impaired in those who en-
act the laws and it is for this reason
| y.