Bisbee daily review., 1909-01-05
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE
 CAUSE OF IMPAIRMENT
(eontinued from Fir.t Page.l

fC0nllnQCu lEOIu et-tst
 fer therefrom. It is not too much to say that this amendment has been of benefit only, and could be of bene- fit only. to the cr1mipal classes. If deliberately introduced for the pur- pose of diminishing the effectiveness of war against crime it could not have been better devised to this end. It forbade the practices that had been followed to a greater or less extent by the executive heads of various de partments for twenty years. To these practices we eve the securing of the evidence which enabled us to drive great lotteries out of business and secure a quarter of 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 timber by great corporations and by individuals These practices have en- abied us to get some of the evidence indispensable in order to secure the conviction of the wealthiest and most formidable criminals with whom the Government has to deal, both those operating in violation of the anti trust law and others. The amend. ment in question was of benefit to no one excepting to these criminals, and 1t seriously hampers the Government in the detection Of crime and the se- cring of justice. Moreover, it not only affects departments outside of the Treasury, but it tends to hamper the Secretary of the Treasury himself in the effort to utilize the employees of his department so as to best meet the requirements of the public ser vice. It forbids him from preventing frauds upon the customs service, from Investigating irregularities in branch hints ana assay offices. and has seriously crippled him. It pre- vents the promotion of employees in the Secret Service, and this further discourages good effort. In its pres ent form the restriction operates only the wrong doer.
 The chief argument in favor of the provision was that the Congress men did not themselves wish to be investigated by Secret Service men. Very little of such investigation has been done in the past; but it is true
 
 agents was partly responsible for the indictment and conviction of Sena- tor and a Congressman for land frauds in Oregon. l do not believe that it is in the public interest to protect criminals in any branch of the public service, and exactly as we have again and again during the past seven years prosecuted and convicted such criminals who were in the eX- ecutive branch of tho Government, so in my belief we should be given am pie means to prosecute them if found In the legislative branch. But if this Is not considered desirable a special exception could be made in the law prohibiting the use of the secret ser vice force in investigating members of the Congress. It would be far bet ter to do this than tC do what actu- ally was done. and strive to prevent or at least to hamper effective action against criminals by the executive branch of the Government"
 i careful reading of this message will show that I sail nothing to war rant the statement that "the majority 1f the Congressmen were in fear Of being investigated ty the secret ser vice men, or "that Congress as q whole was actuated by that motive did not make any such statement in this message Moreover I have never made any such statement about Con gress as a whole. nor, with few inevitable exceptions about the mem bers of Congress, in any message or article or speech. On the contrary J have always not only deprecated but sigorously resented the practice O. indiscriminate attaCt upon Congress and indiscriminai condemnation or ali Congressman p-is.s and unwise, fii and unfit. good and bad alike. No one realizes more than l the impor- tance of cooperation between the EX- ecuSiTe and Congress, and no one holds the authority and dignity of the Congress of the United States in higher respect tha1 I do. I have not | the slightest sympathy with the prac- ! tice of judging men. for good 1r for l i'll. not on their several merits, but in a mass, as members of one partic- l ular body or one caste. To put to- gether all men holding or who have I held a particular office, whether II be the office of President, or Judge | or Senator, or member of the House of Representatives. and to class them all. without regard to their individu al differences, as good or bad. seems | to me utterly indefersible: and it is ecally indefensible whether the good are confoundei with the had In a heated and uDwcrraBted champion ship of all. or in c heated and '-n- warranted assault upon all. I would neither attack nor defend all execu- tive officers in a mass. whether Pres idents. Governors. Cabinet officers or officials of lower rank: nor would attack or defend all legislative of-