Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1909-01-08


heads Of Representatives Tawney O
Minnesota, Smith OF Iowa. Shelley O
Kentucky and Fitzgerald OF New York
when the executive sent q special messag
to the house Of representatives, beratini
those solcns for being champions OF IN,
successful move to place limitations upoi
the scope OF the secret service.
The president also declared that tn,
Interpretation Of the house Of the secre
service clause in his last message wa.
| misunderstood, and had there been nn,
| evidence which would point to the neces
sity OF an investigation OF members, suci
evidence would long ago have been turnes
over to the proper authorities.
The message was in answer TO the res
| oiution transmitted from the house 4,
which the representatives asked for evi
dence upon which Mr.. Roosevelt baset
his statements that the "chief argumen
In favor Of the provision was that tn
| congressman did not themselves wish Il
be investigated by secret service men,"
Message OF the President
| and Reasons Therefor
The message In part:
| ITO the House of Representatives:
have received the resolution Of the house
! Of Representatives Of December u. 1908
| running as follows:
| s'Whereas. there was contained In thu
snndry civil appropriation bill which
passed congress at It's last session and be
came a law, q provision In reference Il
I the employment OF the secret service In
the treasury department; and
Whereas. TN the last annual message
| OF the president OF the United States t.
the two houses Of congress It was stated
In reference to that provision: ut Is moi
too much to say that this amendment has
haAv NJ ny,1xr nd - nHH an.
eft only, to the criminal CLASSES" and II
was further stated: .The chief argument
In favor Of the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish IL
be Investigated by secret service men, y
and It was further stated: But Il this Il
not considered desirable special exeep-
ton could DO made In the law, prohib-
ting the use of the secret service force
in investigating members Of congress. II
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" and
Whereas, the plain meaning Of his
words IL that the majority OF the com
gressmen were in fear OF being invesu-
gated by secret service men and that con-
gress as a whole was actuated by that
motive In enacting the provision In cues
tion. NOW, therefore,
BE It Resolved, That the president be
requested to transmit to the house any
evidence upon which he based his state
ments that the chief argument In favor
Of the provision was that the congress-
men did not themselves wish to be in
vestigated by secret service men, and
also to transmit to the house any evi-
dence connecting any member Of the
house Of representatives Of the Mxtieth
congress with corrupt ACTION In his oflcial
capacity, md to inform the house wheth-
er hes has instituted proceedings for the
punishment Of any such individual by the
courts or has reported any such alleged
delinquencies to the house Of represents
atfyes.' .sE
Cannot Understand Trend of
the House Resolution.
II am wholly at loss 10 understand
the concluding portion Of the resolution.
have made no charges OF corruption
against congress nor against any member
OF the present house. If had proof OF
such corruption affecting any member Of
the house in any matter as to which the
federal government has Jurisdiction, ac-
ton would at once be brought, as was
done in the cases of Senators Mitchell
and Burton, and Representatives William
son. Hermann and briggs, at different
would simply be doing my duty in the
execution and enforcement OF the laws
without respect to persona But do not
regard 1t as within the province or the
duties Of the president to report to the
house alleged delinduencies' of members,
or the supposed corrupt action of O
member in his official capacity The
membership Of the muse is by the con-
stitution placed within the power OF the
house alone. In the prosecution of Grim
inals and the enforcement Of the laws
tie president must resort to the courts
Of the United States
'.In the third and fourth clauses Of the
preamble 1t Is stated that the meaning OF
my words Is that the majority OF the
congressman are In fear Of being fnyes-
ugated by secret service men ana that
congress az whole was actuated by
that motive in enacting tine provision In
question, and that this is an impeach-
ment Of the honor and integrity Of the
congress. These statements are not I
think in accordance with the facts
Declares He Said Nothing
to Warrant the Statement.
"a careful reading Of this message will
show that said nothing to warrant the
statement that the majority OF the con-
eressmen were In fear OF being inVestl-
gated by the secret service men, or 'that
congress as whole was actuated by that
motive, I did not make my such state
ment in this message. Moreover have
never made any such statement about
congress as whole, nor, with few in
suitable exceptions, about the members
Of congress, in any message or article or
speech. On the contrary have always
mt only deprecated but vigorously re-
sented the practice Of indiscriminate at
tack upon congress. and indiscriminate
condemnation OF all congressman, wise
ana unwise, At md unit. good and bad
alike. No one realizes more than tne
Importance OF cooperation Detween tne
executive and congress, and no one holos
tina authority and dignity Of the congress
of the United States in higher respect
than do. i have not the slightest SYM
nathv with the practice Ut judging men,
for good or for III, not on their severa!
merits. but In mass as members 81
one particular body or or e caste. TO put
together all mon holding or who nave
held q particular office. whether %
the Office OF president, or judge, or sena-
tor. or member Of the house OF represent
| attves, and to class them all Wltnout re-
gard 10 their individual differences, 80
saad ~ MAD. seems to me utterly indie
fensihle. and It Is equally 1ndefenslbie
.,hether the good are fonfounded with the
Ma r. a heated and urwarranted cham
n;onship Of all, or In r heated and I'M
warranted assault upon all 81
lcharae in Resolution Due
to Density Of the solons.
"Th,s allegation in the resolution. there
,ore mpst certainly be due to on entire
allure to understand my message.
l