The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-11-11
Senator Speaker At Luncheon
Given At Omaha
ON THE BANKING LAWS
Says Changes Must Be in Interest of
Entire Country as Matter of
Necessity-Says He is
Farmer.

Omaha, Neb., November 10-That Sem
ator Aldrlch is becoming rapidly western
ized his friends will be convinced when
he returns to Washington, If he wears his
new clothes. A recent addition to his
wardrobe is a pair of fringed leather
breeches, such as cowboys wear, and
which they call CHAPS" They were
presented to him here today by former
United States Senator Manderson, and
the presentation formed the merriest fea-
ture of luncheon at the Omaha club
given by Luther Drake, a banker.
Mr.. Aldrich did not make explicit
promise to wear the chaps, but he ac-
cepted them with evident pleasure, and
In doing so made a speech which showed
that 1t Is possible for him to give at
tention to other than financial questions.
In addition to his informal speech at
the Omaha club in the afternoon, SEN
ator Aldrich delivered an address tonight
before the Commercial club. At the night
function former Senator Millard pre-
scented the chairman of the monetary
commission. Mr. Aldrich had been pre-
ceded here by Congressman Fowler of
New Jersey, until recently chairman of
the house committee on banking and cur
rency, who was represented to have
severaly criticized what was supposed to
be some of the Rhode Island senator's
banking ideas.
The hope had been that Mr.. Aldrich
would give some attention to his oppo-
nents, but those who entertained such
hope were at least partially disappointed
Ha did take oeca sion to f-eft1ta tho idaa
that his efforts, as legislator, are purely
in the interest Of the eastern states, but
he did not mention any of his critics by
name. He asserted his efforts had ever
been to serve the interests of all sections
and all classes.
At the night meeting, Senator Aldrich
again went over the work of the COM
mission to date, and again outlined the
labor before it, appealing, as at previous
meetings, to the bankers and the bust
ness men, to study the question of bank
ing and currency reform with the view
of affording intelligent assistance to the
commission, and to Congress in framing
remedial legislation.
He dwelt upon the national character
of the work, declaring any changes must
be In the interest of the entire country
not only as a matter of fair play, but as
a matter of necessity. Indeed, he de-
clared that it would be almost, IL not
quite, impossible to formulate a banking
law that would work wholly for the bene-
fit of any one section.
He spoke of the rapid development of
the west and. in part, at the afternoon
gathering said:
''rhis is the capitalistic section of the
country. We shall have to look out for
our laurels in the east We used to loan
money to this section of the country,
those of us who had money to loan. But
l expect in order to develop our little
farms U being farmer MYSELF very
soon, If we need any repairs to our roofs,
we shall have to come to Omaha. or to
Kansas City to get 1t.
Really, 1t Is very serious condition.
There is more or less embarrassment of
riches about 1t. We have 25, 900 banks and
will soon have $4,000 We are going to
have the greatest surplus capital of the
world in the United States soon. and we
have a great many things to think about.
And l am going to ask you bye-and-bye
to help me think about 1t.
''It Is very important that somebody
should do great deal OF thinking. 1t
is your duty, as well as mine, to take
such steps as you can to perpetuate the
present prosperity OF the country
Senator Aldrich has received many in
vitations to visit other western cities,
but has been compelled to decline them
before present engagements take him up
to the meeting Of the commission on the
10th instant.