The Yale expositor., 1909-01-08
Chief SAYS HOUSE
misunderstood
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-Federal.
Sleuths Defended by Executive.


Washington. -President Roosevelt's big
stick crashed down upon the heads of
Representatives Tawney of Minnesota,
Smith OF Iowa, Sherley of Kentucky, and
Fitzgerald of New York. when the execu-
tive sent 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:
81 am wholly at a loss to understand
the concluding portion of the resolution.
I 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 I'm 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 VIII
hanson, Herman and briggs, at differ
ent 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
Wt,aa
or the duties OF the president TO report
20 the house alleged delinquencies' of
S,embers, or the supposed corrupt ac-
ton of member in his official capac-
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 to
the courts OF the United States.
''In the third and fourth clauses OF the
preamble Il is stated that the meaning OF
my words is that the majority OF the
congressman are in fear Of being inves-
tigated by secret service men and that
congress as whole was actuated by
that motive in enactng the provision In
question, and that this Is an impeach-
ment Of the honor and integrity of the
congress- These statements are not, /
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 he based
his statements that the "chief argument
in favor of the provision was that the
congressman did not themselves wish 10
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 last, pages 1858 TO $3.50.
inclusive. you will find the debate on this
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. Par
sons, Bennett and Driscoll were the lead
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 GRIM
inals and to prevent and punish crime.
The amendment was carried In the COM
mittee of the whole, where no votes or
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. 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 soundly 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 OF the
federal government and declared that the
scope of the department should be ex-
tremely wide in order that all criminals
might be brought to justice and that
there might be no unjust determinations.
He also pointed out numerous instances
where the powers of the department had
brought justice upon the heads of crimi-
nails and cited cases within the memory
OF the present administration. Mr.. Roose-
welt also declared that none of the mem
bers OF the house had ever been investi-
gated as set forth in various allegations.
the gist of which was appended TO the
message.
Asks Reversal Of Action.
Concluding, the president salu'
'Tn conclusion, ] most arnestly ask, In
the name of good government and decent
administration. i'm the name of honesty
and for the purpose Of bringing to justice
violators OF the federal laws wherever
they may be found. whether In public or
private life, that the action taken by the
house last year be reversed When this
action was taken, the senate committee,
under the lead of the late Senator ALI
son, having before II strongly-worded
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 by
Senator Allison. In the conference, how
ever, the house conferees insisted on the
retention OF the provision they had In
serted and the senate yielded.
1.-THE chief of the secret service In paid
a salary utterly inadequate to the impor-
lance of his functions and to the admir-
able way in which he has performed
them. I earnestly urge that II may be
increased to 5000 per annum. also urge
that the secret service be placed where
II properly belongs, and made a bureau
in the department of justice, as the chief
OF the secret service has repeatedly re-
Queeted: but whether this IL done OF not,