The Detroit times., 1910-05-25
UNIFORM PUBLIC
OPINION NEEDED
J. II. Lewis Would Have All DishOn.
esty Judged by Same Standard
Rep. Boutell Discusses Currency.

An eloquent and mastery plea Tor
a uniform public opinion that VIII
Judge the erring trust officer and the
erring public Official by the same stan
dard. and a highly Illuminating re-
sumo OF the financial history OF the
nation featured the twenty-fifth semi
annual banquet OF the Bankers CLUB
of Detroit. In the Hotel Cadillac, Mon
: day night. Col. ]. Hamilton Lewis
OF Chicago. contributed the one N
4 characteristic manner, while Congress
man Henry s. Boutell. of Illinois, In
his exhaustive treatment OF the cur
4 rency question. proved himself TO be
/, a keen student as well as an excellent
speaker,
From every standpoint the occasion
+ was most satisfying. Not detail n
( the way OF cuisine, decorations ana
4 entertainment had been overlooked,
and the post.prandial feast provided
was quite in keeping with the stan
dsrd of excellence so manifest In the
dinner itself Hamilton Dey, presi-
dent of the club, was POSTMASTER. Be
tween addresses the Orpheus ciuo
rendered appropriate selections.
Col Lewis took for his, subject.
''Wanted--a public opinion" He said
in part:
IF a banker shall appropriate the
funds in his keeping, or personally
pervert his trusts. his institution Is
cishonored, its name is defiled and he
is as one against whom the commun-
fly echoes 'Unclean. unclean. Society
closes its doors against him, friend
ship withdraws her hand, and his own
associates avert their gaze wherever
he passes.
'In politics, behold the reverse. IL
Is now the current opinion and the
firm conviction that a man may COM
init any violation OF public trust and
only be censured, or visited with po-
litical displacement. Political public
opinion which condemns the betrayal
of a public offender Kisses him In the
morning of the discovery; becomes
Indifferent by the evening of the day
of commission and rewards with new
found honors the culprit In the cleo
ton following.
what we need most today is uni
form public opinion that will judge
BY the same standard all officials who
violate the trust reposed In them,
whether that trust be of private or
a public nature"
Judge James o. Murfin, of the
Wayne circuit bench, who followed
Col Lewis, assured the gentleman
from Chicago that the condition 70
which he alluded did not exist, de.
claring that he could recall no in
stance In recent years where pub
lie official who had proven unworthy
had not been either kicked out or
ONCE or defeated at the polls. Judge
Murfn referred to the great falling
of in commercial litigation within the
past 10 years and took the bankers 10
task for their proneness to evade jury
service.
1T Is national credit, not armies
and navies. that makes a nation I'M
pregnable"
This is the thought Congressman
Bcutell left with his hearers In clos
ing his splendid address on Bank cir
culation, currency and the bonded
debt" In IL, Mr.. Boutell emphasized
the fact that the United States had
always been a debt-paying nation and
expressed the hope that II would ever
continue to be such. This country
today, with an Indebtedness OF $780,
10000. of which so per cent Is fund
ed at 2 per cent. is the strongest ma
tion on earth, he declared.
Mr. Boutell reviewed the history OF
the national debt from the time, back
in 1871, when the newly-formed repub-
lie assumed the obligations of the col
onies, amounting to about $75.000,00O.
His talk was illumined by an interest
ing account of the distribution OF the
surplus in the United States treasury
in 1887. The government, not know
ing what else 10 do with II. divided 1t
among the states according to the
population. Michigan's share. he re-
called, was 1886. ISL. 40. and the same
amount was awarded to Delaware and
Arkansas. Michigan used its money
for internal improvements and 1t was
used up long ago Maine divided the
money among its inhabitants. every
man. woman and child receiving a
portion.
The congressman told OF meeting,
recently, an aged woman from Maine
who recalled two incidents of her
childhood very distinctly. One was
the passing OF Halleys comet in 1885
and the other was the distribution Of
the surplus in 1897, when she was a
girl of L. Her share. $3.50. was in
vested In pair Of kid gloves. then n
great luxury. When the gloves were
worn out she discovered that the but
ton was made Of some sort OF seed.
This she planted and a geranium
blcssomed forth
II have often wondered" said Mr..
Boutell. "ii the state OF Maine were
called upon to repay its share OF the
distribution, and the government may
do SO If II sees flt, just how the off,
cials would set out TO collect from the
people who shared in It."
The speaker gave some figures
showing the remarkable development
of the country in Fl financial way In
the past decade. At luncheon in the
Detroit club. Monday noon. Mr.. Bou
tell defended the Payne tariff bill. de.
claring II the best the country had
ever had The last speaker OF the
evening was the Rev. John McCarroll
who spoke in Mandatory vein Of the
honEora