Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1909-02-26
Council Bluffs Man Says Secret Serv-
ice Agents Are Common Ears.'
SPECIAL INSPECTORS ARE PRAISED
He Says They Do Much Work Credited
to Chief Wilkes Men.
COOK TAKES UP THE CUDGEL
Colorado Coagressman's Denunciation
of the President Is 80 Rank ana
Coarse He is Not Allowed
TO Finish.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-By an over
wheIming vote. and without party distinc-
ton the house OF representatives today
sustained the committee on appropriations
in again reporting a provision in the sun
dry civil appropriation bill. restricting the
operations OF the secret service detectives
Of the Treasury department. The president
was scathngly denounced by Mr.. Cook
(rep). Colorado; while Mr. Smith (rep).
Iowa, a member of the appropriation COM
rnittee and one OF those named by the
president in his message OF January T.
last. as being responsible for the secret
service limitations seeminly employed all
the invective at his command in an attack
on that service. He compared the secret
service detectives with common liars"
declared them to be worthless and pointed
to the assassination OF President Mckinley
as a sample OF the watchfulness and ca
pacity OF those men, one Of whom, he said.
stood at the presidents side when he was
shot down and failed to observe the ap-
preaching assassin with his supposedly ban
daged hand in full view.
Consideration Of the civil bill was con-
tinued until into the night The conference
report on the postoffice appropriation bill
was agreed to during the day and the
naval bin was sent back for further con-
feEenee.
Amendment starts Debate.
The discussion arose over an amendment
by Mr.. Bennett Of New York striking out
the provision limit OF the field of opera
tons Of the secret service. similar para
graph in the last appropriation bill is what
gave rise TO the presidents structures upon
members of congress
Mr.. Bennett entered a general defense Of
the secret service detectives His remarks
were listened to intently by Mr.. Smith
who, at their conclusion spoke of the
numerous special agents. postoffice inspee-
tors and others. every one of whom" he
said, ''is Of a higher. nobler type than the
members OF the sO-called secret service .
He declared that one OF the requirements
was that he should be "a common liar
The secret service agents. he said. were
not 50 high and lofty that they should be
the subject OF admiration among free
people. Many OF them. he said. work for
50 day in hunting down land frauds.
when there is no considerable number OF
them that know a legal from an illegal
entry"
Praises Special Agents.
Respectable men. he said. with manifest
SaASaSlAs NOIlu AdhS plAEeS dS pOSlOIIlCe
inspectors and special agents of the In
terror department, even though occasionally
they might have to do some detective work,
but" he asserted, the idea that some s.
or 81 a day man. who is willing to be COM
mon detective can familiarize himself with
all laws and therefore become more useful
than specialist is simply absurd"
He illustrated his point by referring 10 a
case where secret service men were called
off, and special agents allowed TO do the
work alone and said that in consequences
land frauds involving millions OF dollars
were unearthed.
The secret service men, he charged. wers
worthless, and he said nowhere except In
/ the vainglorious boastings of Chief Wiikie
and the testimony of men who did not know
/ anything about il did I find that IL had
done anything except in the watching OF
/ jurors and the like"
| Continuing, Mr. Smith suggested that II
detectives were necessary to hunt dowr
\ Jurors they should be assigned by the De
partment OF Justice and not be taken from
the force in the counterfeit section OF thu
/ Treasury department
Wouldn't that" interjected Mr. Stanle5
I CKy.) with sarcasm, Interfere with IN,
mystery. sensationalism and attractiveness
| OF the secret serviceg'
Joining in the laughter which folIowes
this query. Mr. Smith. continuing, said tha
! fC,onffnfed On rr7,i~1 oa,.1