The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-01-08

the employees OF his CCpaT,weDt so as 10
best meet the requirements of the public
service. IT forbids him from preventing
frauds upon the customs service from in
vestigating irregularities in branch minis
and assay offices and has seriously Grip
pied him. 1t prevents the promotion OF
employees in the secret service ana tnis
further discouraGes good effort In is
present form the restriction operates only
10 the advantage OF the criminal of the
wrongdoer
The chief argument in favor Of the pro-
vision was that the congressman did not
themselves wish to be investigated by
secret. service men. Very little OF such
investigation has been done in the past.
But it is true that the work OF the secret
service agents was partly responsible for
the indictment and conviction of sem
ator and n congressman for land frauds
in Oregon | do not believe that it is
in the public interest to protect Grim
finals in any branch of the public service,
and, exactly as we have again ana again
during the past seven years prosecuted
ana convicted such criminals who were
in the executive branch Of the govern
ment. so in my belief We should be given
ample means to prosecute them if found
in the legislative branch But if this is
not considered desirable a special excep-
tion could be made in the law prohibit
investigating members of the 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.
Asks Careful Reading of Massage.
A careful reading of this message
will show that | said nothing to war
rant the statement that "the majority
OF the congressman were in fear of
being investigated by the secret Serv-
ice men" or that congress as Il whole
was actuated by that motive" I did
not make any such statement in this
message. Moreover, have never made
any such statement about congress as
whole nor. with Il few inevitable ex-
ceptiOns. about the members of con
gross in any message or article or
speech. On the contrary. | have al
ways not only deprecated, but vigor-
ously resented. the practice Of indis-
criminate attack upon congress and
indiscriminate condemnation. of all
congressman. wise and unwise, fit and
unfit good and bad alike. No one real
ICES more than ] the importance of
cooperation between the executive
and congress. and no one holds the au-
thority and dignity Of the congress of
the United States in higher respect
than ! do. I have not the slightest
sympathy with the practice Of Judging
men for good or for i'll not on their
several merits, but in n mass. as mem
bers of one particular body or one
caste. To put together al mon holding
or who have held Il particular Office.
whether II be the office of president
or judge or senator or member Of the
house of representatives. and TO class
them all. without regard to their in
dividual differences, as good or bad
seems to me utterly indefensible, and
It IS equally indefensibe whether the
good are COMPOUNDED with the bad in
a heated and unwarranted champion
ship of all or in Il heated and unwar-
ranted assault upon all. I would nei-
Their attack nor defend all executive
officers in n mass. whether presidents.
governors, cabinet officers or officials
defend all legislative officers in a mass
The safety of free government rests
very largely in the ability of the plain,
everyday citizen to discriminate be-
tween those public servants who serve
him we'll and those public servants
VINO serve him i'll. He cannot thus
discriminate if he is persuaded to pass
Judgment upon man not with refer
ence TO whether he is a fit or unfit
public servant, but with reference to
whether he is an executive or legisla-
tive officer, whether he belongs to one
branch or the other of the government
Says Message Is Misunderstood.
This allegation in the resolution,
therefore. must certainly be due 10 an