Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1909-01-08

Y
ton OF the anti trust law and others. The
amendment in question was of benefit to
no one excepting to these criminals, and
1t seriously hampers ths government in
the detection of crime AMI the securing of
justice. Moreover, II nov only affects de-
partments outside of the treasury but 1t
tends to hamper the secretary of the
treasury himself in the effort to utilize
the employees of his department as to
best meet the requirements of the public
service. 1t forbids him from preventing
frauds upon the customs service. from in
vestigating Irregularities in branch mints
and assay offices and has seriously Grip
pied him. 1t prevents the promotion of
employees in the secret service and this
further discourages good effort In its
present form the restriction operates only
to 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 1t is true that the work of the secret
service agents was partly responsible for
the indictment and conviction of a sem
ator and congressman for land frauds
in Oregon. / do not believe that 1t is
in the public interest to protect Grim
mails in any branch of the public service,
and. exactly as we have again and again
during the past seven years prosecuted
and 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-
ton could be made in the law prohibit
ing the use of the secret service force in
Investigating members of the congress-
1t would be far better to do this than to
ID Nrr1,n r1N,, II,
prevent or at least to hamper effective
action against criminals by the executive
branch of the government.
Asks Careful Reading of Message.
A careful reading of this message
will show that I 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 a whole
was actuated by that motive" l did
not make any such statement in this
message. Moreover, have never made
any such statement about congress as
whole nor, with a few inevitable ex-
ceptions about the members of con-
gresS in any message or article or
speech. On the contrary, l have al
ways not only deprecated but vigor-
ously resented, the practice of indis-
eliminate 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 l 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
berS 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 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
1t IS equally indefensible whether the
good are COMPOUNDED with the bad in
a heated and unwarranted champion
ship of all or in a heated and unwar-
ranted assault upon all. | would nei-
Their attack nor defend all executive
officers In n mass whether presidents,
governors, cabinet officers or officials
of lower rank nor would | attack or
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 well and those public servants
who serve him i'll. He cannot thus
discriminate if he is persuaded to pass
judgment upon a 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 to an
entire failure to understand my mes
sage.
The resolution continues, THAT the
president be requested to transmit to
the house any evidence upon which he
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 men," This statement,
which was an attack upon no one, still
less upon the congress, Is sustained by
the facts.
If you will turn to the Congressional
Record for May l last, pages 5553 to
$500, inclusive, you will find the de-
bate on this subject. Mr.. Tawney of
Minnesota, Mr. Smith of Iowa, Mr..
Sherley of Kentucky. and Mr.. Fitzger-
aid of New York appear in this debate
as the special champions of the pro-
vision referred to-. Messrs. Parsons,
Bennett and Driscoll were the leaders
Of those who opposed the adoption of
the amendment and upheld the right of
the government to use the most eff