The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1909-01-04


The secret service was used to assist
In the investigation Of crimes under
the speonage laws, and owing partly
thereto numerous convictions were Sc
cured and the Objectionable practice
\ was practically stamped out at least
IN many districts. The most extensive
smuggling on SILK and opium In the
history OF the treasury department
was investigated by agents Of the Sc
cret service in New York and Seattle
and successful prosecution of the Of,
Tenders undertaken. Assistance Of the
utmost value was rendered to the de-
partment Of Justice in the beef trust
investigation at Chicago; prosecutions
were followed up and fines inflicted.
The cotton leak scandal In the agri-
cultural department was investigated
and the responsible parties located.
What was done In connection with
lottery Investigations IS disclosed In a
/ letter just sent to me by the United
States attorney for Delaware, running
MS follows:
The destruction Of the Honduras Ma;
tioraI Lottery company, successor to ths'
Louisiana Lottery company. was entirely
the work Of the secret service :
This excellent work was accomplished by
Mr.. Wilkie and his suhordinates
thought Il might be timely to recall this
prosecution.
Lottery Cases and Others.
Three hundred thousand dollars in
fines were collected by the govern
ment in the lottery cases. Again, the
Ink contract fraud In the bureau of
engraving and printing "a bureau OF
the treasury Department. was investi-
II gated by the secret service and the
guilty parties brought TO justice. Mr..
Tawney stated Ia the debate that this
was not investigated BY the secret serv-
Ice, but by a clerk down there con-
veying the impression that the clerk
was not IN the secret service. As a
matter Of fact, he was in the secret
service. His name was Moran, and
be was promoted to assistant chief
for the excellence Of his work In this
case. The total expense for the Office
and field force of the secret service
last year was S135,000, aud BY this
one investigation they saved to the
government over 100000 O year.
1 Thanks to the restriction imposed by
congress-, 1t is now very difficult for
the secretary Of the treasury to use
the secret service freely even la bis
own depRrtment--for instance. to use
/ them to repeat what they did so adj
nirably IN the case OF this ink con-
tract. The government is further Grip
pied by the law forbiading It to en-
ploy detective agencies. OF course the
government can detect the most dam
1 geruus crimes and punish the worst
criminals only by the use either of the
/ secret service or OF private detectives.
To hamper 1t in using the one and for
bid 1t to resort to the other can inure
to the benefit OF none save the crimi-
nails.
Secretary CoFtslyou Sustained.
The facts above given show beyond
possibility Of doubt that what the sec
Rotary OF the treasury and had both
written prior 60 the enactment Of the
obnoxious provision and what have
since written in my message to the
| congress state the facts exactly as
they are. The obnoxious provision is
| of benefit only TO the criminal class
and can be of benefit only to the Grim
inal class. II 1t had been embodied in
! the law at the time when / became
| president all the prosecutions above
mentioned and many others OF the
same general type would either not
| have been undertaken or would have
! been undertaken with the government
at a great disadvantage, and many
and probably most Of the chief offend
/ erg would have gone scot free instead
OF being punished for their crimes.
Such a body as the secret service,
such body OF trained investigating
agents, occupying permanent posi-
/ ton In the government service and
/ separate from local investigating forces
in different departments, is an absolute
necessity If the best work is. to be
] AOuc dkatnot Al Ae NY As&k
the most excellent instrument possible
to use against crime. OF course the
more efficient an instrument Is the
more dangerous it is If misused. To
| the argument that force like this
can be nisused it is only necessary to
answer that the condition Of its use
fnlness If handled properly is that it
shall be so efacient as to be dangerous
If handled improperly. any instance
Of abuse by the secret service or other
investigating force in the departments
should be unsparingly punished, and
congress should hold Itself ready at
any and all times to investigate the
executive departments whenever there
Is reason to believe that any such in
stance Of abuse has occurred. 1 wish
10 emphasize my mere than cordial ae-
guisseence IL the view that this Is net
only the right Of congress. but en-
phaticaliy is duty. To use the secret
service IN the investigation Of purely
private or political matters would be