Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-09
EXPLOSION KILLS 10 REPORTS ON FRAUDS
Canadas Capital Shaken Presidents Response to Re-
When Powder Mill Blows Up quest for Information.
FIFTY IN CROWD INJURED SENDS MESSAGE TO HOUSE
Bouldes Weighing Half Ton Progress of the Investigation
Hurled Through Air. Customs Service
PARLIAMENT HOUSE DAMAGED SEARCH BEEN VIGOROUS
Congressional
Presidents Response to Re-
quest for Information.
SENDS MESSAGE TO HOUSE
Progress of the Investigation Of
Customs Service.
SEARCH HAS BEEN VIGOROUS
Congressional Inquiry at Present
Time Regarded With Disfaror.
Embarrassing to Executive. 4

PRESIDENT Taft today sent TO Congress
Inc following special message relative 20
customs frauds:
To the House of Representatives:
On April II your House adopted the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolved. That the President be and
ne IS hereby requested 10 inform tho
House. If not Incompatible with the pub
lie interest. what facts, il any. now ex.s,
winch make ineXpedient A thorough an
animation ut this time by the House a.
Representatives OF the frauds IN the Gus
toms service mentioned by the Presidenr
I'M his annual message TO the Congress at
this session"
beg herewith 10 inciose a Joint report
OF the Secretary of tRe Treasury and the
Attorney General showing exactly what
has been done by them and by their sub
ordinates and the present state OF fact In
The matter of tho investigation OF the
; frauds in the customs service mentioned
By me in my annual message
This report shows that the executive
investigation and the investigation by the
grand Jury for the purpose OF bringing
the guilty persons TO justice are no; ve;
complete. The danger of granting I'm
rnunity by congressional investigation
Mhlie TIC executive and grand Jury sa-
NcS.isations and trials are proceeding is
siill a serious one. This is fflrientlv
illustrated by the case OF Charles r.
See,,s., sislhs. referred TO in the report of tho
torhey General Heikc is tho sccretary ar
inc american Sugar Refining Comp.nv
anu Is me highest official OF the com
pan paaH saia 70 he implicated in the frauds,
never: who died two weeks after tbe
iirst discovery of the frauds -
Files Second Plea in Bar.
In The investigation before the grand
Jury as TO whether the American Refining
ooihpahF is now party to an ii,e~ar
o.ii"i.,a tioh under the Sherman ANTITRUST
at Heike was summoned oficialfy as
'he secretary OF the refining cornn,1v .,
produce certain documents ana -.
Ger isaih information respecting tsse in.
a1fipy fp under the -anti-trust law. '"-
ara;nst ,;.r ,riai OF the indictment found
on the revenue effected by the ssi.S
"eiehinS or sugar he filed a sneci.l rrAs
III par. claiming immunity from the nrcs
eGu'Ion ee; on the indictment by reason or
MS evidence before the grand iurv in r.
antitrust case. His plea was orerr,,,aa g.,
'iie circuit court, but the question u,ax
carried TO the Supreme Court. which re-
fused TO pass on it because not properly
before the court now leaving IN xf;lI ,r
DE raised i'm the event OF con,,;nt,a,
circuit court VI TIC
The investigation into and prosecution
y. lne frauds IA the weiahers Office are
now nearly complete. though there ar.
number of indictments vet untried Tic
executive and judicial investigations tni,
the frauds ia the appraisers office. how
ever; are sun proceeding. 1t will take y
cohsIdefaoie time TO complete them. IL
may be added that the character OF the
Investigations into the wefghers' ana an
| praisels offices is such that con
sresslonal committee would have 10 wall
upon such an expert search as is nov
! proceeding 10 make clear the frauds t..
grand jury investigation into the charge
or countrywide monopoly against the re-
| inning company is being pressed with
Vlgor but the evidence is SO voluu,fnous
and widespread that it is necessarily
slow.
Duty of Executive Service.
The primary duty with respect -
frauds in the executive service fell,
upon the executive 10 direct prorei
executive investigation. and upon tho
discovery Of fraud and crime to direct
judicial investigation for the purpos.
Of recovering what is due the govern.
ment and Of bringing to justice ia.
guilty persons. 1t is further the duts
OF the executive to make such execu
tive changes in the service, both by
removal OF inefficient civil servants ar.,
by changes in official methods. as vs.
render a recurrence OF fraud less nos.
sible The necessity for congressional
investigation arises first when executiy.
investigation is either not in good faitf
or is lacking in vigor, and second whe-
additional legislation is needed to pro.
vide new safeguards TO prevent a re.
cIrrence OF the fr. uds. a further ad.
vantage Of congressional investigation
is that il may hold up to just puhlis
condemnation many persons whose neg.
lect OF duty or whose ignoring Of th.
public veal. for political or other rur,
pose, may have made such frauds pos
sible. without subjecting them to Grim.
inal liability and conviction.
Vigor Of Prosecution.
The report of the Secretary Of tns
Treasury ard the Attorney General show,
beyond question the utmost vigor an.
effectiveness in the investigation an.
prosecution. up to this time. of the fraud-
developed in the customs service, and the
achieving OF exceptional results, as vel;
as in the collection OF moneys OF whics
the government has been defrauded, 81
In the apprehension, indictment and pun.
ishment of participants i'll the frauds, an.
in the thorough reformation OF the Gus
toms service with a view to preventioh
of the recurrence of such frauds In th-
future.
A congressional investigation at this
partment in the continuance and com,
,,tat af fhA }0v ficrot ti1x, DF <ia