New-York tribune., 1905-02-25
CITY BANK ATTACKED.
OLD CUSTOM HOUSE'FIGRT
House TotcS Not to Pay Remit
Steal, Say Democrats.
trRoM THE TRIBUNE BuREArsl

washington. Feb 24.-The annual fight over
the payment by the government TO the National
I-;,v Bank OF New-York OF Sl306o0 as rens for
,be old Custom House renewed in. the
Rouse to-day. and the provision was stricken
ant Of the Sundry Civil Appropriation bill. hich
vas under consideration in the cornmtu>e Of
he whole As the item represents a contract
between the government and the bank it is re-
qarded as certain that IT viii be restored before
,be bin is sent to the President for signature
representative Sulzer moved to strike ou the
,roy-ision. and in this demand he recese.i the
support of the Democrats and a few Rspubli-
,ars The vote resulted % to "a in favor Of
NJ Sulzer's amendment. While this was ap-
,,arertly a victory for the minority for the
con that under the leadership Of John Sharp
williams the Democrats Unexpectedly voted as
: unit the defeat OF the item was due. pri-
-narily 10 the absence from the chamter Of
Republicans who We're not prepared for tire de-
te-rnned assault the proposed appropriation.
The fight against the payment of this rent is
NV seven years old. In 1899 the govern ulent
disposed % the old Custom House to the Ma,
,to1al city Bank for s.. .265. 600. and aftervsari
entered into contract with the new owners b V
. ,bieh $4,000 & year was 10 be paid for tie
sse Of the building. This contract is TO run 9 or
-sn wears and those who oppose the proposit1
assert that under its terms the bank will he We
Representative Hemenway declared that the
contract was open TO criticism. but it was a.<on-
tract and as such must be provided for an
rually in the appropriation bill.
Nj Sulzer strongly opposed the provision for
rent saying il was the old, bewhis kered
long standing steal Of the National City TANK
Il was he said. an outrage the peo pie of
Nev-York and the country. Ut is a not orious
scandal steal and fraud" he vigo rously
National City Bank had not been compelled TO
pay The purchase money for the building IN the
government Mr.. Sulzer said he could not ac-
oourt for the fact that the 100000 had not
been turned into the Treasury instead of b aing
simply transferred on the banks books, Ur less
i was due TO the influence behind the ank.
Every man in This chamber knows what. that
influence is" he said Tt is the influens Of
the great Standard Oil Trust that owns that
bank and the influence that bank has had in
governmental affairs Of this country"
Nj Williams said the whole transactiOi was
stamped with fraud and dishonor.
IT'S z barefaced robbery said Mr.. Bal.er, Of
NeW-York
Explaining that he was not defendin z the
contract made by Mr- Gage, who was then
Secretary Of the Treasury. Nj Hemenwas con-
tended that If the amount for rent va not
appropriated the bank could go into court and
get Judgment He admitted in reply tc, Mr..
Williams that no deed had passed from the
government TO the bank, and that the bank was
not paying taxes for the building.
Answering Mr.. Shober Of New-Ynrk. Mr..
Hemenvay insisted that Mr.. Gage nct be
ing charged with having committed a crime,
but with making a bad contract
He hasn't committed a crtne?" inter5ected
Nr. Eulzer. Why. soon as We got an hon
est President he had TO get cut OF the Cabinet
A plain statement Of the facts in the case
was demanded by Mr.. Williams, who said ne
not in the habit OF lightly charging po-
Ittcal opponents with moral or financial wrongs.
Il he said. he had wanted 10 do that, he could
have been sewer for all sorts Of charges
and scandals He did not criticise the original
r-ansa ction, but he asserted that the subsequent
dealings were surrounded with fraud in order
70 obtain campaign contributions
Mr Henenway insisted that as Congress had
authorized the contract for the sale Of the build
ing 70 the bank il the duty of the govern
rnent 70 comply with its terms. The original
act providing for the sale he credited TO
Democratic Congress
On q motion by Mr.. Sulzer 70 strike out the
provision, the result division was tie, "a
70 n. bur, the vote being taken by tellers, the
motion prevailed, 93 10 a.