The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1909-01-08
MESSAGE ON THE
SECRET SERVICE
President Replies to Congress
siOndl Resolution.
SAYS He DID NOT HIT AT HOUSE

Language In Annual Communication
Called Objectionable by Representa-
tives Will Stand Analysis, Declares
Executive - He Renews His Argu-
ment For Repeal of Law Limiting
Activities of Treasury Agents-Cites
In Punishment of Violators of Fed
eral Laws.
Washington, Jan. AIN a special
message to the house of representa-
tives today President Roosevelt says:
To the House of Representatives:
l have received the resolution Of the
house of representatives Of Dec. II,
1908, running as follows:
Whereas, There was contained in the
sundry civil appropriation bill which
passed congress at it's last session and be-
came a law a provision in reference to the
employment of the secret service in the
treasury department; and,
Whereas, In the last annual message of
the president of the United States to the
two houses of congress it was stated in
reference to that provision, ut Is not too
much to say that this amendment has
been of benefit only and could be of bene
fit only to the criminal classes" and 1t
was further stated 1.-THE chief argument
in favor of the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish to
be investigated by secret service men,"
and 1t was further stated, but If this is
not considered desirable a special eXcep-
ton could be made in the law prohibiting
the use of the secret service force in in
vestigating members of congress-" ii
Uyn, ha 70. hiatt nr 20 do how, To do
what actually was done and strive to
prevent or at least to hamper effective
action against criminals by the executive
branch Of the government and,
Whereas, The plain meaning of the
above words is that the majority of the
congressman were in fear of being inves-
tigated by secret service men and that
congress as a whole was actuated by that
motive in enacting the provision In ques-
ton: and,
Whereas, Your committee appointed to
consider these statements of the presi-
dent and to report to the house cannot
find in the hearings before committees
nor I'm the records of the house or sem
ate any justification of this impeach-
ment of the honor and integrity of the
congress: and.
Whereas. Your committee would prefer
in order to make an intelligent and COM
prehensive report. just to the president
as well as to the congress. to have all
the information which the president may
have to communicate; now. therefore,
Be it resolved, That the president be
requested to transmit to the house any
evidence upon which he based his state
ments that the "chief argument in favor
OF the provision was that the congress
men did not themselves wish to be in
vestigated by secret service men" and
also to transmit to the house any evil
dence connecting any member of the
house Of representatives of the Sixtieth
congress with corrupt action in his Off
cial capacity and to inform the house
whether he has instituted proceedings for
the punishment of any such individual
by the courts or has reported any such
alleged delinquencies to the house of rep
resentatives.
~ Cannot Understand Resolution"
! am wholly at n loss to understand
the concluding portion Of the resolu-
ton. / have made no charges Of cor
ruption against congress nor against
any member of the present house. If
/ had proof Of such corruption affect
Ing any member of the house in any
matter as to which the federal gov
eminent has jurisdiction, action would
at once be brought, as was done in the
cases of Senators Mitchell and Burton
and Representatives Williamson, Herr
mann and briggs at different times
since l have been president. This
would simply be doing my duty In the
execution and enforcement of the laws
without respect to persons But / do
not regard 1t as within the province
or the duties Of the president to report
to the house "alleged delinquencies"
Of members or the supposed corrupt
action" of a member ain his official ca
pacity." The membership of the
house is by the constitution placed
within the power Of the house alone.
In the prosecution Of criminals and the
enforcement Of the laws the president
must resort to the courts of the United
States.
Portion of Message Quoted.
In the third and fourth clauses of the
preamble it is stated that the meaning
of my words is that "the majority of
the congressman are in fear of being
investigated by secret service men,"
and that congress as whole was ac-
tuated by that motive In enacting the
provision in question" and that this
Is an impeachment of the honor and
integrity of the congress- These state
ments are not, i think In accordance
with the facts. The portion of my
message referred to runs as follows:
Last year amendment was incor-
porated in the measure providing for the
secret service which provided that there |
should be no detail from the secret serv-
Ice and no transfer therefrom. II Is not |
too much to say that this amendment has |
been of benefit only and could be of bcne |
ut only to the criminal classes. II DELHI |
erately introduced for the purpose of di- |
minishing the effectiveness of war against |
crime II could not have been better de- |
vised to this end. 1t forbade the prac- |
tices that had been followed to a greater |
or less extent by the executive heads of |
various departments for twenty years. To |
these practices we owe the securing of /
the evidence which enabled us to drive |
great lotteries out Of business and secure /
a quarter of a million OF dollars in fines |
from their promoters. These practices |
have enabled us to discover some Of the |
most outrageous frauds In connection |
with the theft Of government land and |
government tinnber BY great corporations /
and By indivhsais. These practices have /
enabled ~ 70 SGT sspns Of the evidence in /
dispsnsabls In erdar - secure tho cenv1c- |
ton 81 the wea1thAest and most formula |