The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-01-04
HOUSE IS TOUCHY.
SAYS PRESIDENT
Secret Service Recommends
tons Repeated Urgently
by the Executive.
-ConLInueI - - -


Senators and Representatives convicted
in connection with land frauds and re-
fers generally to the excellent work of
re Secret Service i'm uneartuing nat
WaHZatiOn, lottery, silk opium, ink,
and other frauds.
The agitation against the Secret Ser
vice, the President says, was begun five
years ago by an article appearing i'm
Chicago newspaper. This article was
written by L. w Busbey, private sec
rotary TO Speaker Cannon, and charges
Chiet Wilkie with a desire to become
the FOuche of the United States. and
his men with tendency to break over
the bounds and become general sleutas.
The President attaches the article as
one OF the appendices TO his message.
Committeeman Named.
Upon Representative Tawney., chair
man o. the Appropriations Committee,
Representative Fitzgerald of New York.
Representative SherIey of Kentuckv
and Representative Smith of Iowa.
members of the committee. the Presf-
dent lays the responsibility for the
passage of the act limiting the Secret
Service.
"Messrs. Parsons. Bennett and DrIs-
coll continues the President. were
the leaders of those who opposed the
adoption OF the amendment and up
held the right of the Government TO
use the most efficient means possible
10 detect criminals and TO prevent and
punish crime"
The President refers to the debate on
the amendment, as shown by the Con-
6lesslonal Record of May last, as sup
porting that portion Of his annual mes
sage which was objected 10. He saws.
Now as 90 the request Of the Con-
gress that T give the evidence for my
statement that the chief argument in
FAVOR or the provision was that the
Congressman did not themselves wish
10 be investigated by Secret Service
Proof From Record.
THE part of the Congressional Record
to which 7 have referred above entirely
supports this statement Two distinct
lines of argument were followed in the
debate One concerned the question
whether the law warranted the employ
meuu Of the Secret Service i'm depart
ments other than the Treasury, and
this did not touch the merits of the
service in the least. The other line of
argument went 20 the merits of the
service. whether lawfully or unlawfulIy
employed, and here the chief i not the
only argument used was that the serv-
ice should be cut down and restricted
because it's members had Swallowed
or investigated members of Congress
and other officers of the Government
Continuing. the President presents a
strong but calm argument that me was
in the right IN making the criticisms
that enIivened his last annual message
'T am wholly at a loss ne says, 10
understand the concluding portion or the
House resolution. I have made no
charges against Congress nor against
any member of the present House. II
] had proof of suCh corruption affecting
any member OF the House in any mat
ter as to which the Federal Government
has jurisdiction, action would at once be
brought as was done i'm the cases of
Senators Mitchell and Burton and Rep
Teseutatives Williamson, Hermann, and
briggs at different times since ! have
beer President
Defends His Wording.
"A careful reading of my message
will show that said nothing to war
rant the statement I'm the House reso-
luton that the majority OF the Con-
ErcssmCu We're i'm fear of being investi-
gated by the Secret Service men or
that Congress as "a whole was actuat-
ed by that motive.
AT the time Speaker Cauu0n's private
secretary sent his 1900 word article at
lacking the Secret Service to the Chlca-
go Inter ocean m 1904. the President
says. the great land frauds were being
iu the West.
The President quotes from Il letter he
sent Speaker Cannon April 20, protest
ing against interference with the Secret
Service. ia which le said There fe mo-