Rocky Ford enterprise., 1909-01-08

''Mr. Sherley stated that there had
been pronounced abuses growing out OF
the use of the secret service for purposes
other than those Intended putting his
statement in the form of question, and
in the same form further stated that the
private conduct of members Of congress-,
Senator'S and others ought not to be In
vestigated by the secret service, and that
they should not investigate a member of
congress- who had been accused Of CON
duct unbecominE a gentleman and 4
member Of congress.' In addition to these
assertions couched as questions. he made
one positive declaration. that This secret
service at one time was used for the pur-
pose of looking nito the personal con-
duct of ? member of congress- This ar
gument Of Mr.. Sherley. the only real ar
gument as to the merits Of the question
made on behalf of the committee on ap-
propriations. will be found in columns
and of page 1856. and column 1 of page
a557 of the Congressional Record. In COL
umn 1 of page $3.50 Mr.. Sherley refers to
the impropriety OF permitting the secret
service men to Investigate men in the
departments. officers of the army and
navy and members of congress; In col
umn !. page 1857, he refers only to mem
bers Of congress. His speech puts most
weight on the investigation of members
of congress.
What appears In the record Is filled
out and explained by an article which ap-
peared In the Chicago Inter-Ocean of
January 3, 1901 under Washington
headline. and which marked the begin
ming OF this agitation against the secret
service. 1t was n special article Of about
5000 words. written. as / was then in
formed and now understand. by Mr.. L.
w. Busbey, at thGt time private secretary
TO the speaker OF the house. 1t con-
tained an utterly unwarranted attack on
the secret service division of the treas
ury department and Its chief
AT the time of this publication the
work OF the secret service. which was
thus assailed. included especially the In
vestigation OF great land frauds in the
west. and the securing of evidence to
help the department OF justice in the
beef-trust Investigations at Chicago
which resulted in successful prosecutions
Efforts to XIII Move
Found to Be Unavallina
These methods proved unavaiIing tc
prevent the wrong. Messrs. Tawney and
Smith. and their fellow members on the
appropriations committee paid no heed "a
the protests: and as the obnoxious pro.
vision was Incorporated In the sundry
civil bill. It was impossible for me to con.
slider or discuss II on its merits as
should have done had It been in a sep.
arate bill. Therefore have now taken
the only method available. that of dis.
GUESSING II In my message to congress; and
AS all efforts to secure what I regard as
proper treatment OF the subject without
recourse to plain speaking had failed,
have spoken plainly and directly. and
have set forth the facts in explicit terms
Since 1901 the Investigations covered
by the secret service divisIon-unter the
practice which had been for many Year,
recognized as proper and legitimate. and
which had received the sanction OF this
highest law officers OF the government
have covered wide range of ofYense,
against the federal law. BY far the most
Important of these related to the public
domain. as to which there was un.
covered far-reaching and widespread
system of fraudulent transactions involv.
Ing both the Illegal acquisition and the
Illegal fencing OF government land: and
In connection with both these ofYenses
the crimes Of perjury and subornation OF
perjury. Some OF the persons involved
In these violations were of great wealth
and of wide political and social influence
Both their corporate associations AND
their political affiliations, and the lawles,
character Of some of their employees
made the Investigations not only difficult
but dangerous In Colorado one OF ths
secret service men was assassinated.