Willmar tribune., 1909-01-13
BIG STICK SlNASF1ES:
ROOSEVELT DEFENDS
THE SECRET SERVICE
In Message to House President De-
C1areS His Statements i'm Previous
Words to Congress Were Gross
ly Misunderstood.

Dig stick crashed down upon the
heads Of Representatives Tawney Of
Smith of Iowa, Sherley of
and Fitzgerald of New York,
to the house of representatives, berating
those solons for being champions of the
successful move to place limitations upon
the scope of the secret service.
The president also declared that the
Of the house of the secret
service clause in his last message was
misunderstood, and had there been any
evidence which would point to the neces-
sity of an investigation of members, such
evidence would long ago have been turned
over to the proper authorities.
The message was in answer to the res
olution transmitted from the house in
which the representatives asked for evil
dence upon which Mr.. Roosevelt based
his statements that the "chief argument
in favor Of the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish to
be investigated by secret service me1."
Message Of the President
and Reasons Therefor.
The message in part:
"TO the House of Representatives:
have received the resolution of the house
of representatives of December II, 19OS
running as follows:
Whereas, there was contained In the
sundry civil appropriation bill which
passed congress at it's last session and be-
car.c a law, a provision in reference to
the employment of the secret service in
thu treasury department.; and
Whereas, In the last annual message
Of :he president of the United States to
ths two houses of congress it was stated
in reference to that provision: 1T is not
toD much to say that this amendment has
been of benefit only, and could be of ben
eft only, to the criminal classes" and it
was further stated: 1.-The chief argument
in favor of the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish to
tie investigated by secret service men,"
and it was further stated: But if this is
not considered desirable a special excep-
ton could be made in the law, prohib-
iting the use of the secret service force
in Investigating members Of congress. It
would be far better to do this than to
do what actually was done, and strive to
prevent or at least to hamper effective
action against criminals by the executive
branch of the government" and
Whereas. the plain meaning Of his
words is that the majority Of the con-
gressmen were in fear of being investi-
gated by secret service men and that con-
gress as whole was actuated by that
ton. Now. therefore.
"'Be it Resolved, That the president be
requested to transmit to the house any
evidence upon which he based his state
ments that the chief argument in favor
Of the provision was that the congress-
men did not themselves wish to be in
vestisated by secret service men, and
also to transmit to the house any evil
dence connecting any member of the
house of representatives of the Sixtieth
congress with corrupt action in his official
capacity, and to inform the house wheth-
er he has instituted proceedings for the
punishment of any. such individual by the
courts or has reported any such alleged
delinquencies to the house of represent
atives.'
Cannot Understand Trend Of
the House Resolution.
II am wholly at loss to understand
the concluding portion of the resolution.
I have made no charges of corruption
against congress nor against any member
of the present house. If had proof of
such corruption affecting any member of
the house in any matter as to which the
federal government has jurisdiction, ac-
ton would at once be brought, as was
done in the cases of Senators Mitchell
and Burton, and Representatives William
son, Hermann and briggs. at different
times since I have been president. This
would simply be doing my duty in the
execution and enforcement of the laws
without respect to persons, But do not
regard It as within the prov::iilce or the
duties Of the president to report to the
house alleged delinquencies' of members,
or the supposed corrupt action Of a
member in his official capacity The
membership of the house is by the con-
stitution placed within the power Of the
house alone. In the prosecution of GRIM
inals and the enforcement of the laws
the president must resort to the courts
of the United States.
I'm the third and fourth clauses Of the
preamble it is stated that the meaning OF
my words is that the majority of the
congressman are in fear Of being inves-
tigated by secret service men and that
congress as whole was actuated by
that motive in enactirg the provision in
question: and that this is an impeach-
ment Of the honor and integrity of the
congress. These statements are not I
think in accordance with the facts.
Declares He Said Nothing
to Warrant the Statement.
"a careful reading Of this message will
show that I said nothing to warrant the
statement that the majority Of the con-
gated by the secret service men, or that
congress as whole was actuated by that
motive did not make any such state
ment in this message. Moreover have
never made any such statement about
congress as whole, nor, with few in
evitable exceptions, about the members
OF congress, in any message or article or
speech. On the contrary I have always
not only deprecated but vigorously re-
sented the practice Of indiscriminate at
tack upon congress. and indiscriminate
condemnation of all congressman. wise
and unwise, f1t and unfit. good and bad
alike. No one realizes more than the
Importance of cooperation between the
executive and congress, and no one holds
the authority and dignity of the congress
of the United States in higher respect
than I do. I have not the slightest SYM
pathy with the practice Of judging men,
for good or for ill, not on their several
merits, but in a mass, as members of
one particular body or one caste. To put
together all men holding or who have
held particular Office, whether it be
the Office of president, or Judge, or sena-
tor, or member of the house of represent
atives, and to class them all, without re-
gard to their individual differences as
good or bad, seems to me utterly inde-
fensible; and it is equally indefensible
whether the good are fonfounded with the
bad in a heated and unwarranted cham
p!onsllip of all, or in a heated and un-
warranted assault upon all.
Charge in Resolution Due
to Density Of the Solons.
This allegation in the resolution, there
fore, must certainly be due to an entire
failure to understand my message.