The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1909-01-08

of any unfortunate inadvertance of
language, any untoward combination
of words, expressions should remain
in his message which might be inter-
preted by the people as lessening the
dignity and thereby weakening the
authority of the congress.
Harpoon Went Deep
"It is said in the message that
criminals should be prosecuted If
found in the executive branch of the
government and with this we wholly
agree. But the president adds: If
this is not considered desirable. a
special exception could be made in
the law prohibiting the use OF secret
service officers in investigating men,
bers of congress- In other words,
it is suggested that we pass law
which will facilitate the exposure
OF other criminals but will protect
ourselves. If majority of the con-
gress stand in favor of the exposure
OF their own misdeeds, they would be
ready to vote for such a law but
such is not the case and against it we
must protest. If congress listens
tamely and timidly to reflections on
the character of it's members and it's
honesty of purpose, it will deserve and
1t will certainly receive the contempt
'of the public. We feel that the sug-
gestions in the presidents messages,
, the congress refuse to meekly receive
and mildly to consider.
During long centuries our Eng
lish speaking ancestors struggled and
bled that representative govern
ment might be established among the
English people. Our revolutionary
forefathers more than century ago,
struggled and bled that our govern
ment should be representative gov
ernment; that the laws of the Ameri-
can people should be passed by the
representatives chosen by the Ameri-
can people. The congress of the
United States today exists as result
of centuries of struggle for popular
government. Let every man who is
a member of it. vote on this ques-
ton in the manner which seems to
him most worthy of the traditions of
which we are the heirs. of the insti-
tutiens of which We are the protec-
tors, and of the people of whom we
are the representatives"
AS was the case when he first
spoke on the question before the holi-
days. Mr.. Perkins was frequently in
terrupted by applause. Upon the
conclusion of his remarks he submit
ted the committees report which,
after quoting from the presidents
message, was as follows.
Understanding this language to he
reflection on the integrity of it's
membership. and aware of its own
constitutional duty as to its member
ship. the house in respectful terms.
called on the president for any in
formation that would justify the Ian
guage of the message or assist it in
its constitutional duty to purge itself
Of corruption"
The report of the committee con-
cluded as follows:
Resolved that the house, in the
exercise of it's constitutional preroga-
tlves, declines to consider any COM
munication from any source which is
not. in its own Judgment. respectful
and
BE it further resolved. that spe-
cial committee and the committee of
the whole on the state OF the
union. be discharged from any con-
sideration of so much of the presi-
dents annual message as relates to
the secret service and is above set
forth and that the said portion of the
message be laid OH the table. And,
BE IT further resolved. that the
message of the president sent to the
house on January 4. 1909. being unre-
sponsive to the inquiry of the house
and constituting an invasion of the
privileges of this house by question
ing the motives and intelligence of
the members. in the exercise of their
constitutional rights and functions.
DO laid on the table"