The Ogden standard. [volume] (Ogden City, Utah) 1902-1910, 1909-01-05
(By waldon Falcetto


The United States secret service
which Is the bone OF contention be-
tween the president and congress in
Q controversy that promises to become
historic ie frequently denominated the
least known branch OF our govern
| ment' Whether the present agita-
| ton will dispel the mystery that has
long existed Is very doubtful. II a
| debate is precipitated there doubtless
will be an airing of certain phases
OF secret service work, but 1t is not
| TO be expected that there iwll be any
lift of the veil as regards the
| Eeans and methods of Uncle Sans
'black cabinet
Owing TO the stipulation made by
congress in providing the last annual
appropriation for the maintenance of
the secret seryicc-the sslf-same limi.
' tstions under which President Roose-
| velt is now cha6ng-the operations oil
the secret service arc at present re-
Blricted TO what might be formed Its
original functions. namely the appre-
| bending Of counterfeiters and the pro-
lection OF the person OF the chief mag
| ir;Tate. Until congress called a halt,
| unuous expansion of the activities of
the nations secret police until they
tade fair 10 outdo their European
brethren In the scope of their surveil-
. lance.
For instance, secret service opera
. tivcs were loaned" to the secretary OF
\ tho interior. and rendered the most
important service in securing evidence
In connection with the land fraud
cases in the west Other secret SER
vice men had hand in exposing the
sensational cotton report Leak In the
department OF agriculture, and SO the
list might be prolonged 10 include
practically all the executive depart.
| nsents OF the government. not forget
ling the part played by these cIeverest
OF plain clothes men in investigating
charges against naval officers
because OF the fact that its pri-
rary purpose and principal function
| at the outset was the trailing or coun-
/ |teIfeiters. and secret service was
psrtment In connection with thelt
| Inode branch of the treasury de-.
shadowing oil suspected counterfeit
t-ers the secret service men have been
enabled OF gather much information
OF the greatest value regarding Black
Hand organizations and the opera
| tions of anarchists Yet other inves-
legations along these lines have re-
/ suited from the responsibility OF the
| tecret service for the safety OF the
president and thus. without overstep-
. ping the bounds OF tho law of author
. ization. the secret service has been
enabled to accomplish much in the
| field that is the chief concern of the
. foreign secret police-namely. eter.
. nal vigilance as to the plans and am
billions OF the plotters against the
worlds rulers. Until congress shut
down upon It last year, the treasury
department also used the secret SER
vice TO detect smuggling enterprises
and other frauds upon the customs
service. and to investigate robberies
pd Irregularities of all kinds-and
ITe have recently been some nota-
ones-ln branch mints, subtreas-
les. assay officeS etc. Oen OF
President Rooseyelts most bitter
complaints has been against the ham
pering of operations in these direc
ions.
The headquarters of the secret ser
vice are In the TREASURY building al
Washington Here are the private OF
ices of the chief of the service, John
T.. Willde, who receives a salary OF
$1,000 a year and the assistant CHIEF
William Herman Moran, who is paic
$1,000 a year. There is a clerical di
vision, employing some half dozen
nen, and q large storeroom where