The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1909-01-06
Message to Lower Branch
on Secret Service.
BIG STICK FALLS ON FOUR
Champions Of Provision to Limit Scope
Of Investigators Are Raked Over
the Goals by Roosevelt-Federai
SIeuths Defended by Executive.

Representatives Tawney of Minnesota,
Smith of Iowa, Sherley of Kentucky. and
Fitzgerald of New York, when the execu-
tive sent q special message to the house
of representatives. berating those solons
for being champions Of the successful
move to place limitations upon the scope
of the secret service.
The president also declared that the
Interpretation of the house of the secret
service clause in his last message was
misunderstood, and had there been any
evidence which would point to the neces-
sity of an investigation Of members,
such evidence would long ago have been
turned over to the proper authorities.
The message was In answer to the res
olution transmitted from the house in
which the representatives asked for evil
dence upon which Mr.. Roosevelt 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,"
For the Ananias Club.
The message in part:
II am wholly at a loss to understand
the concluding portion of the resolution
1 have made no charges of corruption
against congress nor against any member
of the present house. If l had proof OF
such corruption affecting any member OF
the house in any matter as to which the
federal government has jurisdiction, &C
ton would at once be brought as was
done in the cases Of Senators Mitchell
and Burton, and Representatives Will
hanson, Herman am briggs, at dlffer-
emit times since I have been president
This would simply be doing my duty IN
the execution and enforcement of the
laws without respect to persons. But L
do not regard it as within the province
or the duties of the president to report
to the house alleged delnquencies OF
members, or the supposed corrupt ac-
<,e ,hnr ro hiS official cAnSC.
ity' The membership of the house IS
| by the constitution placed within the
power Of the house alone. In the prose-
cution of criminals and the enforcement
of the laws the president must resort 10
the courts of the United States.
"In the third and fourth clauses of the
preamble it is stated that the meaning of
my words is that the majority of the
congressman are in fear of being lnves-
| tigated by secret service men and that
congress as a whole was actuateo ny
that motive in enacting the provision IN
question: and that this is an impeach-
ment of the honor and integrity of the
congress. These statements are nj t,
think, in accordance with the facts"
Misunderstood, He Says.
"This allegation in the resolution, there
| FORE must certainly be due to an entire
| failure to understand my message.
1.-THE resolution continues: That the
| president be requested to transmit to the
house any evidence upon which ne basea
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.
eff YOU will turn to the Congressional
Record for May last pages 5000 TO eooo'
| Inclusive YOU will find the debate on TINS
subject Mr. Tawney of Minnesota, Mr..
Smith of Iowa, Mr.. Sherley of Kentucky,
and Mr., Fitzgerald of New York appear
In this debate as the special champions
of the provision referred to. Messrs Far
sons, Bennett and Driscoll We're the lsao-
ers of those who opposed the adoption
Of the amendment and upheld the right OF
the government to use the most efficient
means possible in order to detect cr,m-
nals and to prevent and PUNISH CRIME
The amendment was carried IN the COM
| mittee of the whole, where no votes OF
the individual members are recorded. SO
| I am unable to discriminate by mention
Ing the members who voted for and the
members who voted against the provision,
but it's passage, the journal records, was
| greeted with applause. 1 am well aware.
however, that in any case of this KIND
many members who have no particular
knowledge Of the point at issue are con-
tent simply to follow the lead OF the
committee which had considered the mat
ter, and I have no doubt that many mem
bers of the house simply followed the
lead of Messrs. Tawney and Smith,"
Secret Service Is Defended.
| After soundlv demonstrating with Rep
resentatives Tawney. Smith, Sherley and
| FITZGERALD for their stand at the last
session in favor of placing limitations
| upon the duties of secret service opera
tives, the president set about to defend
the operations of that branch or the
federal government and declared that the
scope of the department should be ex-
trenely wide in order that all criminals
might be brought to justice ana that
there might be no unjust DETERMINATIONS.
He also pointed out numerous instances
where the powers of the department ilad
brought Justice upon the heads of criml-
nails and cited cases within the memory
| of the present administration. Mr.. Roose-
welt also declared that none OF the mem
hers of the house had ever been investl-
| gated as set forth in various allegations
!. | the gist of which was appended to the
| message.
Asks Reversal of Action.
Concluding the president said:
"Tn conclusion, l most arnestly ASK III
| the name of good government ana deceh'
> | administration, in the name OF honesty
and for the purpose of bringing to justice
,iolators of the federal laws wherever
| they may be found, whether in pubic on
. | Drivate life that the action taken by the
house last year be reversed. When TINS
] | action was taken, the senate COMMITTEES
| | under the lead of the late Senator AIN,
son. having before it strongly-Wofue'
protest from Secretary Cortelyou like
that he had sent to Mr.. Tawney, accepted
: the secretary's views; and the senate
= passed the bill in the shape presented p9
Senator Allison. In the conference, now
= ever, the house conferees INSISTED on tll'
, retention of the provision they hao IN
serted, and the senate yielded.
! 1.-THE chief of the secret service is pal'
! a salary utterly inadequate to the lfnpor
lance of his functions and to the admir-
able way in which he has performed
/ | them. I earnestly urge that 1t may b.
| Increased to $4,000 per annum l also urs
, that the secret service be placed wher
I. it properly belongs, and made purea'
}, in the department of justice as the chic
4 | of the secret service has repeatedly re
= ouested; but whether this is done or not
Il It should be explicitly provided that Tn
|. | secret service can be used to detect an
| punish crime wherever 1t Is found
vDIJDnnnPE ROOQEV EI IT,