The age-herald., 1898-01-11

made him comptroller of the currency. Eckels had the reputation at Ottawa Of being a lawyer. His reputation did not ex- tend very far, not, in fact, beyond the county in which Ottawa Is located. Eekels wanted a position in the .attorney-generaf 8 department Through some mistake he was made comptroller of the currency. It was not the intention to appoint MT. Eclzels to this position, but President Cleveland, through an error, got his name mixed up with the person whom he intended to ap- point comptroller
 Eckels was amazed when he read in the afternoon papers in Washington that he had been made comptroller of the currency. He swore and tore his tow-colored hair with great vengeance, saying he knew absolutely nothing about the banking business nor the financial workings of the government. He was a lawyer, and wanted a position where his legal talents would be required. MT Cleveland, who was famous for making mistakes, but never correcting them, in- sisted that Eckels should accept the place and thus make the appointment good
 Eckels did accept the post and entered upon his duties He knew as little about the office of comptroller of the currency as a savage knows about the Bible It was only a few days however, until Eckels imagined he knew everything. He knew more than Salmon P. Chase, who was the author of the national banking system in this country Eckels developed with great worth knowing So great did his knowledge i,,- foxxy da he was heralded from one end of the country to the other as the "boy wonder" He was greater than any lightning calculator that had ever lived. He had mastered the finan- cial question of the republic.
 
 On a certain occasion in Washington MT. Eckels was invited to make a speech. It was about the first speech he had ever made outside of the court presided over by a. justice of the peace at Ottawa He had written his speech. Or supposed to have written one which he committed to memory. He recited it before the audience. Part of it was printed in the morning papers. Eckels was, indeed, "the boy won der" He became so impressed with his own greatness that he solicited invitations to make speeches throughout the country. He had ambition to pose as boy orator. as well as ''boy wonder"
 EckeIs had not progressed far until ne began yelping for 'thonest money CieVe- land had told him that honest money was the thing. Ecxels did not know what honest money was yet he talked honest money. According to MT. Eckels opinion, as ex- pressed in his numerous after-dinner speeches. those who did not favor honest money were traitors And that no man could be democrat who was not in favof of what he termed "honest money. MT Eckels talked honest money so much that he actually began to believe that he knew what honest money was. He believed him. self the only champion of a great "caWse.
 Eckecs sought to impress the public with the fact that he himself was an honest man as well as the leader of the honest money party.
 After the adoption of the democratic platform att Chicago in 1SS6 Mr. Eckels boIted the democratic ticket. He said he could uphold no political party that dld not have for its principle "honest money Mr. Eckels bowed down daily at the feet of Grover Cleveland. He kissed the big toe of the mighty man who had wrecked the democratic party. He believed a hallowed circle encompassed the mig My brain of the great Cleveland. MT. Eckeis was told to bolt and talk honest money. While MT. Eckels was talking honest money there were thousands of people in the United States who did not believe James H. Eckels was an honest man. Be- fore he left the broad prairies of Illinois to accept office at Washington, he had proclaimed himself the friend of the masses. He was not a "boy wonder" in Illinois. He was regarded just as an ordi- nary, common kind of man, which he was. After he had mastered the financial ques- l ton of the world he became the tool of | the national bankers. All that a bank president had to do if he wanted to violate any law was to ask Eckels' consent to do l it. Eckes yielded to every request that came from a bank. In the last campaign MT. Eckels supported William Mckinley for the presidency. Though appointed to office as a democrat he became the most pronounced republican in the country He l violated the civil service law almost every | day in making campaign speeches. It will l be remembered that MT. Cleveland dis missed from office number of men who | made speeches for the democratic candi- | date. He said nothing to MT. Eckels, how l ever. He encouraged him to make speeches l against the democratic candidate. The same | as he did with hudreds of others who be- | leyed in the greatness of Grover Cleve- | land. Mr. Cleveland had no objection to
 his off1ceholders going upon the stump and l making speeches for the republicans. But | for an officeholder to speak in behalf of a | democrat was sufficient cause to remove l him from office.
 1 The recent failure of two banks in the l city of Philadelphia, presided over by Will liam R. Singery, has brought to light some 1 of Mr. Eckels' ideas of honesty. Facts
 have developed which show that Mr. Sin geriy's banks were in tottering condition in 1896, and that MT. Eckels then knew their condition. MT. Eckels knew that Mr. | Singerly was taking from the bank funds scontrary to the banking laws. MT. Sin