The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1909-01-08
Resolution to Table Secret
Service Section Of
Message Offered.
DEMAND THAT EXECUTIVE
BE MORE RESPECTFUL
Action, Almost Unprecedented,
Taken by Representatives
in Their Anger.
sHERLEY SAYS BODY
HAS BEEN LlBELED
President Has 0verstepped His
Privileges, Is Declaration
Made in Report.

fWAsHfNGT0A, jan. s.---The special
committee cf the House of Representa-
tives today introduced : resolution de-
zcIarins that the section of the Presi-
dents message dealing with the secret
service WAS NOT respectful and asking
that 1t be laid on the table. The action
is aimest unprecedented in the history
of slle country.
BY laying the rccOnme NJ tiation of the
executive on the table, Congress would
declare that il refuses to recognize the
section rs a part of fssc message. Ii
sauId mean thai il vny action is taken
on tbc secret service it would be done
without respect to Rooscs cIt's attitude.
IT would he as if he had never said
anything on the subject.
The part of the committees report
relating to the laying on the table of
the section reads:
We consider the Language of the
President in his message of December
s, 1903, unjustified and without basis OF
fact, and that-ait constitutes breach
of the privileges of the House; there
fore, be it.
sResolved That the House in the
exercise of its constitutional preroga-
tives declines to consider any COM
munication from any source which is
not in its own judgment respectful; and
be it further,
..Resolved. That tn special commit
tee and the committee of the whole
Iiouse ON the state Of the Union be
discharged from any consideration of
SO much OF the Presidents annual mes
sage as relates to the secret service,
aud is above set forth. and that the
saiI portion of the message be laid On
the table; ami, be 1t further
Resolved, That the message of the
President sent to the House on January
4, 1909, being unresponsive to the in
quiry of the House and constituting an
invasion of the privileges of this House
by questioning the motives and intelli-
gence of members in the exercise Of
their constitutional rights and func-
tions, be laid on the table"
The report of the committee was
made by Chairman Perkins, of New
York. The galleries were full of spec
tators, and nearly every seat on The
floor was occupied. There was almost
a tomblilSe stiffness when Perkins rose
to read his report.
COngressmen Indignant.
Messrs. Tawney, Smith, of Iowa;
Sherley and Fitzgerald were on the
floor, prepared by word of mouth, to
resent what they deemed to be the in
situations of the President upon them
as members Of the committee on ap-
preparations. They were not alone in
their indignation. Indeed, for some
. CD he -
had been growing more and more in
tense, and some of them have been
giving way to their sentiments in
language which fully testified to their
wounded pride.
Mr.. Perkins addressed the House in
part as follows:
with the merits of the question with
reference to the use of the secret serv-
ice men, this committee has nothing to
do We fully recognize the right of
the President to express his disap
proval of legislation adopted by the
Congress, to point out it's defects and
to ask that they be remedied. The
question win doubtless be considered
by Congress and such action taken as
may seem to be in the public interest.
"The statement contained In the
message that the chief argument in
favor of the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish
TO be investigated, can have but one
meaning 1t means that Congress
voted for the measure from an inn
proper motive. Any congressman
whose vote can be determined by un-
willingness to have his own conduct
Investigated by secret service men, or
ny any other men, must surely be in
fear Of the law
IF it was believed that q majority of
ibis 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
Continued ON Second pnge.)