The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-01-09
Committee Advocates
Extreme Course
f of Action.
Urges House to Table
Communications
of President.
Representatives Appointed to
Recommend Course to Be
Pursued in Regard to Ex-
ecutive's lnsinuations,
Make Report.
Brand Language Used by Ma
tion's Chief Official as In
sulting and Demand Re-
lection of Missives to
Lower House.

WASHINGTON Jan. 8.-By Vote VI @i1
tn AZ the house of representatives To-
dav passed a resolution offered by the
parLins committee recommending that
tho nresident's message regarding the
sacret service and that portion of his
annual message pertaining to the same
, ,suhiect he tabled and that the house
refuse to consider any communlca-
ton from any source which 1t deemed
disrespectful to the members OF con-
gress. Congressman Pray of Montana
was one of the members of the mouse
to vote against the adoption of the
Perkins resolution.
Having given consideration 10 the
presidents further views regarding
the secret service, contained IN MS
message to the house of representa-
tives last Monday, the special commit
tee appointed to deal with the sub
Iect today brought in it's final report.
Accompanying it was resolution
which declared it to be the sense of
the house that it shall decline to con-
slider any communication from any
source which is not respectful, recon-
mending that the Objectionable portion
Of the presidents annual message be
laid on the JdDle anu lIleiI Siiiiiioi az
ton be taken with respect to the mes
sage Of last Monday because Of Its
being "unresponsive to the inquiry OF
the house, as to what the president
meant when he said, referring to the
Limitation placed upon the field of op-
erations of the secret service, and the
chief argument in favor of the pro-
vision was that the congressman did
not themselves wish to be investi-
gated"
Galleries Packed.
When Chairman Perkins of New
York, of the special committee, arose
to make his report. he faced an al
most full membership, while the gal
leries were packed with interested
spectators. 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
insinuations of the president upon
them as members of the committee on
appropriations They were not alone
in their indignation. Inded, for some
time past the feelings of the members
had been growing more and more In
tense, and some of them have been
giving way to their sentiments in Ian
guage which fully testified to their
wounded pride.
Mr. Perkins addressed the house as
follows:
ITO your committee were referred
certain passages contained in the an
nual message of the president. We
we're to decide whether in our opin-
ion those portions Of the message
were couched in such form that a
proper regard for the dignity of a
great legislative body should forbid
their reception. We are of the opinion
that some portions of the message do
constitute breach of the privileges of
this house, and that, therefore, fol-
lowing the precedent set in similar
cases, the house should decline to con-
slider them.
Recognize Right.
with the merits of the question
with reference to the use of the secret
service men, this committee has moth
ing to do. We fully recognize the
right of the president to express his
disapproyal of legislation adopted by
the congress, to point out its defects
ana dSh lIdL tHCy pC lCihOuiCu'
1.-The question will doubtless be con-
sidered by congress and such action
taken as may seem to be in the pub
lie snterest
"But your committee has to con-
slider the criticisms made by the pres
ident upon the motives of congress in
its action last session to consider his
suggestions as to further legislation
and to report whether congress with
proper self-respect can receive them.
It sis stated in the message that the
chief argument in favor Of the pro-
vision was that the congressman did
not themselves wish to be investi-
gated by secret service men, and this
is repeated in the annual message.
II this was the chief argument, it
must have been by this argument that
the majority OF the members were led
to vote in favor of the offending pro-
vision. Your committee is unable to
share in this belief
Question Is Raised.
TN the arguments of the house the
gentleman from Kentucky. speaking
in favor of the amendment asked If
it was intended that If member of
congress was guilty of unbecomng
conduct the department would be war
ranted in investigating his conduct by
secret service men. And the gentle
man from New York, opposing the
amendment, stated that we all knew.
as lawyers, that we were not federal
officers; that we we're component
members of the government, and there