The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-01-10
SECRET SERVICE REPORT
Special Committee Hands In lts
Final Reply.
CHAIRMAN PERKINS TALKS
Resolution Declares 1t the Sense Of
the House That the Objectionable
Portion Which Is Not Respectful
Be Laid Upon the Table.

portion winch Is NOT Respectful
Be Laid Upon the Table.
Washington. jan 9.-Having given
consideration to the presidents furth-
er view regarding the secret service
contained in the message to the house
of representatives last Monday the
special committee appointed to deal
with the subject brought in its final
report Friday
Accompanying it was a resolution
which declared it to be the sense of
the house that it should refuse to con-
slider any communication from any
source which is not respectful, recon-
mending that the Objectionable por-
ton of the presidents annual message
be laid on the table and that similar
action to be taken with respect to the
message of last Monday because of it's
! being unrespOnsive to the inquiry of
the house, as to what the president
meant when he said referring to the
Limitation placed upon the field of
operations of the secret service that
the chief argument in favor of the pro-
vision was that the congressman did
not themselves wish to be investi,
gated"
When Chairman Perkins, of New
York, of the special committee, arose
to make his report he faced an almost
full membership, while the galleries
were packed with interested special.
ors. Messrs. Tawney, Smith of Iowa,
Sherley and Fitzgerald were on the
, floor and prepared by word of mouth
! to resent what they deemed to be the
insinuation Of the president upon then
as members of the committee on ap
propriations. Thy were not alone in
their indignation. Indeed. for some
time past the feelings of the members
had been giving way to their senti
ments in language which fully testi
! fed to the = wounded pride
FIR. Perkins addressed the house as
follows:
To your committee was referred
certain passages contained in the an
nual message of the president. We
were to decide whether in our opin
cOuched in such form that a proper
regard for the dignity of great leg
fslative body should forbid their re
ceptfOn. We are of the opinion thai
| the portions of the message do con
stitute breach of the privileges OF
| this house and that therefore follow
ing the precedent set in similar cases
the house shall decline to consider
them.
with the merits Of the question
with reference to the use of the secret
service men this committee has moth
ing to do. We fully recognize the right
of the president to express his disap
proval of legislation adopted by the
congress, to point out it's defects anl
to ask that they be remedied. The
! question will doubtless be considered
by congress and such action taken al
may seem to be in the public interest
But your committee has to con
slider the criticisms made by the presi
dent upon the motives Of congress il
its action last session to consider hi.
suggestions as to future Legislation
and to report whether congress will
proper self respect can receive them
1t is stated in the message that the
chief argument in favor of the pro
vision was that the congressman di,
not themselves wish to be investigated
by secret service men and this is re
peated in the additional message. I
this was the chief argument, it mus
have been by this argument that tn,
majority of the members were led t,
vote In favor of the offending prOvis
ions. Your committee is unable t.
share in this belief. In the argument
of the house, the gentlemen from Ken
lucky, speaking In favor of the amend
ment, asked II It was intended that
q member of congress was guilty o
unbecOmfng conduct the department
would be warranted in investigatin,
his conduct by secret service men
And the gentlemen from New Yorl
opposing the amendment stated tina
we know as lawyers that we were no
federal officers: that We we're com
ponent members Of the government
and there was 6ne over u.s. Then tn
gentleman from Kentucky said, not
withstanding views of the gentleman
from New York, the private conduc
OF . member Of congress had beel
once investigated by secret servic
men, but the gentleman from Nev
York denied even this one and sol
tary instance and stated the invest
cation In the case cited had not bee
made by q member Of the secret Sci
vice but by police officer of Wast
ington.
I'VE do not think that even the mos
timorUus Of congressman could hav
been induced by these arguments t
vote in favor Of the amendment b.
cause Of the fear that If he voted nj
the secret service might ferret out hi
secret sins.
"Nor does It seem that statement
made in 1904, even by a newspape
reporter. are convincing evidence q
the motive which actuated congress!
men in their votes in 1908. The state
ments made in newspapers are som,
times questioned even at the Whit
House.
"The statement contained in th
message that the chief argument 1
favor of the provisions was that tn
congressman did not themselves wis
to be investigated, can have but on
meaning. It. means that congress
voted for the measure from an in
proper motive. ANY cOnEressma