Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-17
A SECRET SCHEME
For Compromise on AIdrich Bill, Which
A. O. Crozier Denounces.

Washington, April 16-In pictur-
esque language, at times violently de-
nunciatory Alfred o. Crozier of Wilm-
ington, Del. today told the House
committee on banking and currency
that he had unearthed a secret scheme
for compromise on the Aldrich cur
rency bill He intimated plainly that
the members of the currency commits
sion and the American Bankers Assoc
citation did not act faily with the bank
ing and currency committees in unani-
mously opposing the Aldrich bill YES
terday.
While opposing the bill he said, THE
members of that committee objected
because the emergency currency was
TO bear 8 per cent. interest and are
ready to support it now if the inter-
est is reduced to three per cent.
Last evening our distinguished
banking friends held a conference" he
said. To-day they are having another
with the wicked promoters of the
wicked Aldrich and Vreeland bills"
He declared that this conference was
only held after it was stated that the
hearings before the banking and cur
IF this committee had not honored
me with this opportunity to speak at
this postscript to the public hearing"
said Mr. Crozier. and if one of the
distinguished bankers who addressed
you yesterday had not mistaken me
last evening for one of their fraterni-
ty and unreservedly told me the whole
program, the trick would have been
turned quickly and suddenly The
business interests of the country might
never have known that they had been
sold out by their banking partners and
even this committee might not in time
have become aware that the great men
who appeared here against the bill
openly, were in fact favoring it priv
ately.
THE Aldrich BILL" he declared, "is
a gambling game from start to fin
lsh, brought here by gamblers and pro-
NOTED by gamblers for gambling pur-
poses"
He asserted stoutly that he knew
the late financial stringency was
brought on deliberately by Wall Street
men.
Il was told in Wall Street that such
a measure as the Aldrich bill would
be brought before this Congress and
that panic would precede it,"
Mr.. Crozier said that if a commits
sion was appointed he would furnish
list of witnesses to the council bv
whom this charge could be proved
AS evidence of conspiracy to bring
on panic he said a prominent fin
ancier told the president of the New
York, New Haven & Hartford Rail-
road Co, that it was to be brought on
before the meeting of Congress and
on that information. he said, the rail-
road borrowed $30,OOO,OOO. Urged to
tell who the financier predicting a
panic was, Mr.. Crozier said he did not
like to give his name at this time, but
would give it to the counsel of any
commission, Congress might appoint to
investigate the cause of the recent
financial crisis. He predicted that
when the panic was finally investigat-
ed it would be seen that that there
had been concentration of bantling
capital in New York
In concluding his remarks, Mr..
Crozier said: 1T is impossible to un-
derstand any reason for thus forcing
this universally obnoxious legislation
through Congress, unless some persons
high in the council Of our party have
made some secret pledge to the mas
tiers of Wall Street to put this legisla-
ton through and give it's power to the
special interests in exchange or su.-.
port of the malefactors in the coming
campaign If this is what has been
done and it is persisted in to the ex-
tent of fastening this dangerous legis-
lation upon the country. our party will
deserve the defeat which that course
Will bring upon it. Every patriotic
citizen will hope that no such unholy
and discreditable bargain has bee n
made and that in the final test the
members of the majority in Congress
will listen to the all universal demand
OF the people of the United States and
will defeat both the Aldrich and the
Vreeland bills overwhelmingly"
After a short executive session the
committee adjourned until tomorrow