Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1908-06-20
AN UBIQUITOUS MEASURE

The Chicago platform endorses the
Aldrich Vreeland currency bill. Some
of the iniqutes of that measure are set
out in the following extract from Il
speech made by Alfred O. Crozier, a
prominent nhtional banker Of Whining
ton, Delaware, before the banking and
currency committee of the house of
representatives while that committee
was considering the bill. 1t should be
read by every thoughtful man in this
country:
Gentlemen, am republican. AS
Il member of the party now in control
of every branch of the federal govern
ment, 1 claim the right to express my
views as to the political effect of the
passage of either the Aldrich or Vreel-
and bills. The people of the entire
country believe these are Wall-street
measures. The people of the entire
country are against Wall street because
they believe its practices caused the re-
cent panic, and that it profited from the
financial misfortunes of the balance of
the country. The people of the United
States surely will hold the party in pow
er responsible if this bill is passed. The
Vrceland bill cuts out some of the best
features of the Aldrich bill and is equal
ly vicious About the only change is to
give greater advantages and more prof
it's to national banks. When it is un-
dcrstood that these favOrs are issued on
the basis of capital and surplus, respec-
lively, the figures / have given showing
the concentration Of bank control clear
ly proves that most of the benefits will
he voted by congress to Wall street direct.
GAS l said, the New York Tribune
states that the bill has no friends in the
United States. Other republican papers
are making similar statements. Your
hearings Indicate that almost every
business interest and banking interest
throughout the whole country is against
any emergency currency measure
Only Wall street is known TO he in
favor and actively promoting these bills.
Why, then, should the republican party
undertake to force these bills through
congress under the spur of the party
whip? If it is done, our leaders are
riding: to Il fall. Every consideration
OF political expediency dictates that
these bills should he defeated and the
currency commission appointed to study
these grave and complex questions with
'deliberatiOn and wide research, that the
country may be provided with cur
rency and banking system adequate to
its expanding business. Such a com
mission with power to swear witnesses
and call for the production of papers
and documents, could easily discover
the true causes of panics, and thus pave
the way for the enactment of effectual
legislation TO make their recurrence
impossible. This would prove u great
national blessing and the party adapt
ing this course would receive and
deserve the commentator and support
of the American people.
1T is impossible to understand any
reason for thus forcing this universally
obnoxious Legislation through congress
unless some persons high in the councils
Of our party have made some secret
pledge to the masters of Wall street tc
put this legislation through and give its
dangerous powers to the special inter.
ests in exchange for the support of the
malefactors In the coming national
campaign. If this Is what has beer
done, and it is persisted in to the extent
christening this dangerous Legislation