St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1908-05-27
Fish Resigns Position.
National Bank Examiner Will Devot
Entire Attention to His Candidacy TO
C0upress

rendered his resignation as national
bank examiner to the United States
treasury department at Washington and
announces the continuance of his candi-
dacy for the republican nomination as
representative to Congress in the first
district. The following letters are self
explanatory:
May 20, 1908.
Hon. Henry O. Carpenter Director of
the Killington National Bank, Rut-
land, Vt:
Dear Sir:-On the 18th inst. received
from the deputy acting comptroller of
the currency the following letter:
1T has been reported to this Office
that you have announced yourself as a
candidate for United States senator from
Vermont and have entered actively upon
political canvass for that position.
"If you are a candidate tor the Senate
or any other political Office, you must
either withdraw your candidacy or for
ward your resignation as a national
bank examiner, as national bank eXami-
ners will not be permitted to become
candidates for any political office or to
take an active part in politics while
holding such position. They must keep
entirely aloof from political activity
AN Immediate response to this letter
is requested"
1t is due to yourself and the officials
of the 60 national banks in my juris-
diction that an explanation be made.
likewise wish to convey through you
to the other bank people with whom |
have been in personal contact for the
| past eight years my generous expression
of good will and personal regard. The
friendships formed | shall always cherish
and wish to bear witness to the uni
form courtesy, kindness and considera-
ton manifested toward me during the
| discharge of my official duties 1t would
have been a pleasure to me to have con-
tinued in this service had | not other
aspirations which trust will lead to a
field of larger activity and furnish
| greater opportunities for usefulness and
development. Having announced my
candidacy for Congress, and being so
thoroughly enlisted with my friends in
the same, cannot now with .airuess to
| them or to myself renounce my candi-
| dacy And while am aware that am
relinquishing a certain thing for an I'M
certainty | have no hesitancy whatever
in taking this step.
have rendered my resignation to the
comptroller OF the currency, and have
assured him that had no disposition to
violate any of the rules OF the office, and
that was in entire ignorance of any
order which forbids a candidacy for an
Office on the part of a national bank
examiner.
have now nearly completed the cir
cult of banks, there being but FIVE re-
naming Tor examination. My work is
entirely up to date, and have no reason
to believe that my services have been
otherwise than acceptable to the depart
ment during the eight years that / have
served as examiner.
1t has been my ambition for a good
many years, at the proper time, to be
come member of Congress. believe
this ambition to be an entirely laudable
one, and believing that there was no
reason either on account of my being
examiner or otherwise why | should not
make a contest at this time, decided to
do So
During the meeting of the State con
vention at Burlington the latter days of
April, took occasion to say to Mr..
Foster that | should be a candidate
against him for Congress in two years,
and that was very apt to be a candi-
date against him at this time. He asked
me with some Impotence whether /
desired to resign my Office as national
bank examiner. Subsequent to this
time | learned from different sources
through his friends that should | enter
the race he would have my resignation
as national bank examiner. This matter
was fully discussed between myself and
my friends, but not being aware of any
reason which made the seeking of a
| higher office inconsistent with the duties
of the position which | hold, we were OF
the opinion that my official relations
would not in any sense interfere with a
candidacy for Congress, and we cherished
the belief that the delegationin Washing
ton would not prompt any order looking
to my resignation.
The letter to me was the first intima-
ton from the department that a candl-
dacy for an office or activity in politics
was inconsistent with my duties; nor did
| know at that time that any bank
examiner had been removed because OF
participation in politics. This intorma-
ton was conveyed in letter dated at
Middlebury, May Is, 1908, published ii
the Free Press May 10, 1908, and came
from some other source than from my
self assume from Washington. The
letter indicates great familiarity witt
the workings of the comptroller's office
am aware that the order has its de
cided advantages. 1t must represent the
spirit which prevails in all departments
of the government service, and II 1t ap
plies to me as a national bank examiner
it must apply to all officials in the posta
service, in the customs service, in tn,
pension department, and in other execu
tive departments generally. This, o
course, removes the possibility of thu
participation in the canvass which i
now on by any federal Office holders.
| remind you again that my resigna
ton means the "severing of ties many
and tender and the parting with man,
friends at once But | believe you vii
agree with me that under the circum
stances of the case there is no othe
course for me to pursue.
Believe me, with great personal esteem
Yours very truly,
FRANK l.. FISH.
Reply of H. o. Carpenter.
Rutland, May 20, 1908.