SECRET SERVICE.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 408, 18 January 1909, Page 5

SECRET SERVICE.

BIG EXPENDITURE. UNITED STATES' ANNUAL BILL. .FRAUD PREVENTION.' (di TELEGRAM—FRESS ASSOCIATION—COPTRIGIIT.) Now York, January 15. Tbo United States Congress in 1908 appropriated nearly a million and a half sterling for'secret sorvico work. Tho total appropriation for tho pnrposo of prosecuting and preventing frauds on' various, branches of tho public sorvico iexceeded £4,700,000.

;; ;; ; /ROOSEVELT v. CONGRESS. - : THE ARE/OBJECTED TO,/. /The paragraph-:in': the/President's.l Message -which has.aroused the ire of Congress, reads:— "Last-year:an amendment.was incorporated; in .the 'hieasuro-; providing for.tho. Secret;' : Service ,: which' provided that 'there 'should.bo no detail from the- Secret Sorvico andv'no-transfer- therefrom. - It is. liot: too- much' to say- that this /amendment his been of benefit only,.and could •be of:.benefit only, criminal:-classes;.'; If deliberately introduced for the purpose »f dim-' inisaing'the effeotivencssof, war-against crime it could : not have been bettor devised to this end. It forbado the praotices.that had been followed to a greater or less extent.by the executive.' heads of various Departments for twenty ' years.' ' To these •' praotices we. owo the' securing of the evidence which enabled'us'to drive great lotteries out of'business Und: secure a.quarter -of;a million of:dollars in fines-from their pro-, moters.:: v-V ■■);■■•''. ' •/"/■■ : '. : -: '■'■.'■•■''-■ •■. ■ Detection of Outrageous Frauds, j. ,;

■..'.."These practices have enabled us.to discover some of the most outrageous, frauds in connection , with the theft of Government land and Government'timber by great corporations, and by individuals. These practices have enabled us to get some of the evidence indispensable in order to secure the conviction of the wealthiest and most formidable criminals with: whom the ' Government has. to■ deal, both those operating in violation of the; Anti-Trust; law.-and-•others, The amendment ill question was of..benefit to -no-one:excepting ,-.to these'j.oriminals, and it seriously, hampers the Government in.the 'detection' ofverimo : and ■: the 'securing ■..; of :;-. justice; Moij'eover,. it not only affects Departments: outeidoof -the Treasury ■; but it tends' to hamper/ the'; Secretary of:. the .Treasury himself in ■ the effort'to utilis'e^.the'employees; of his Depart■ment'so as to;best-meet:the:requireinents.of. .the'public''service. Jt forbids him from preventing frauds, upon the Customs'service, from •investigating irregularitiesih branch mints_qnd .assay offices,' and;has seriously crippled him. It prevents' the promotion of employees; in the Secret Service'and-this further; discourages good "effort." In : its present, form the restriction operates, only- to; the • advantage, of; the [. criminal,' of 'thei^rong ; door.' 77,777^7'.7 7' ',;:•:,

Prosecution of Legislative Criminals. 7'"The chief 'argument in favour of. theVproyisiohiwas" that the, Congressmen did not themto be;investigated by Secret Service men:.-Very little of such'ihvestigationhasi.been ■ done in the/past; :but it,is .true..that the, work of .the Secret. Service agents.: was partly respon.-, 'sible for the indictment, and, conviction _of \tiSenator; and' Congressman/for ; land-frauds in' Oregon'.-; il'do\not : believe'; that' it is. in.'the; public ■interest, to .proteot7criminal!'.in; any branch of the publio;servico,.;and exactly as;wo, have mgain and again .during, the' past, seven yearß. prosecuted'and convicted'such criminals, who' we're in,the executive, branch"of the' Got-; ernmentvso;' in'my; belief, Hve should begiyen ample means to prosecute them if found in the legislative:'branch(7:But if this, : is not considered desirable, a special exception cpuld.be made in the'law: prohibiting the use of Secret, Service ■force'in investigating niemb'efs'.of the Congress. It "would' be' :far- better to do; this than to da what actually was'.'done; and strive to prevent ' jir' at least: to hamper. effective'- action' against' 7 jrimihals.by;the.exeputiveb'ran6h;-of the -Got-; :..'Brnnient.";7";■'.:''.-.7.'■:■:. ."-■V'77v v '■''•'':7-'7..';.-.'•.' : -17

7: Cpngress7offended7 !;y..7u'7*-y:;yijy^C''"':^ ;-vThe^::House: : of ;Kepresejitatives^6n : 'Deceniber;| ■-' 10 .appointed a" committee of;five---Messrs. Per- | wkfnV (NewiiTork);vDenby7 (Michigan), 'Week's, Slassaohusetts),- 'Williams.:;(Mississippi),.-and loyd to' consider .the .proper :means :"'of-dealing with'the'latterlpprtioh. of ahePresi-'.| f. den's Message. In presentingthe Mr.;' ■'••■' ■ Perkins' saidt—"lt is of -'importance to'-;the Ke--1 public :that tail' of the .co-ordinate- branches _of, ' the-Goverhment/.should."possess ;in.,a high de7greo the confidence and respect 'of .the people. '' I'yield tpJnbne'in my, respect for the Chief. - Executive: cf'the:.United;;Statesi; and;-I-'yield •■> to';.no"one :in;'my.respect:for,.the;Cohgress'-.of- :; thelUhited States.'.;:;;To:theiCongress..is,Kranted. • 1 great "power,, and ,upon ■ it- are.; imposed . great ' responsibilities;'; Wo.'cannot;neglect, pur,duties nor shirk our'.rosponsibilities.' •: The' dignity-of ■; that body-should ..riot: be-punctiliously "insisted . upon', -' but 'it should- -be properly maintained. ;-"-.'The statements.;made by .the-President cannot; ■'■ ■•': be-lightly,, disregarded. ;:,They ■may'-bei.6q.-.con-. : ■ .. etrued'.by.:th'e: public" as -to- lessen .the-.:dignity :'ah'd thereby impair '.the;usefulness pf the Congress'of the United States.''; It oan.be- justly : - said, I .think."' that-these; expressions were .un- .'.; fortunate. I .-Whether it is enough, to.say or' whether.some -more, formal action 1 should, be, ; -taken, it-will'be for Corigress,: exercising a msz and 'discreet' judgment,. to;:depide.77. r .' ;;.:,., ':::.:: Some-members of'Congress-have.^so.oeen pressing f6r. : an-inquiry into the administration: :7' of'the'Secret Servicefunds. : : 'As if'■ to emphasise ■ ' the'need' for a Secret Service: organisation., the: ...UnitediStates was'.startled-ori December. 20-by - v the-great.Customs'evasion: frauds;: revealed. be- ; forei;the Tariff. C0mmittee.,.,;,:;:.•;.;:7,;.!;:7