Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1913-09-26

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FAIL TO FULFIL FAvORITE PROM
\: s..~&sa ISE t
x Two interesting and significant in
Democratic currency bill In the
ON September 18th. One was the
fusal of the Democrats to fulfil one
OF their favorite promises to the
country by the adoption of an amend
ment aimed at preventing interlock-
ing directorates among banks eligible
TO membership in the Federal reserve
banks createdd by the bill. There is
NO signal significance attaching to this
refusal of the Democrats to fulfil a
public promise, however. They have
sinned VIGOROUSLY in this respect dur
ing the whole life of their ADMINISTERS
tion. It is, in fact, rather to be ex-
pected now that they will disreg:
the promises they made SO lavishly
during the campaign last year than
they will disregard the promises they
made SO iavishly during the campaign:
Last year than that they will under
take to fulfil them by legislative en-
aetaaent. Representative Murdoch,
Floor leader of the Progressives in
the House. had pointed out in an alb
lie speech during the debate on the cur
Ee1cy bill a considerable number of
specific instances in which the meas
Sre failed to meet with much prom
asss. And in as much as the bill in
slaAaes among those responsible for
its language and its provisions Pres-
Tdent Wilson, Secretary Bryan, Secre.
safy MrAddoo( and members Of both
Senate aad Hpuse,, it ia obvious that
this disregard Of publicly pledged OBJ
7Isarlans is chargedd directly TO- the
enffS Bemocratic. ADMINISTRATION.
4n no single feature has Democratic
@eaanciation of will Street power and
Che aniaaitous Money Trust been more
xweepang and savage than in it's whole
sale cuademnation of the system OF in
Eerlocling dfrectorates, which is the
center and life Of the machinery by
which the Money Trust maintains it's
control. But for some curious and
unexplained reason the Democrats
from first to last have refused to in
scaude a prohibition of interlocking
directorates in their currency bill. The
only attempt at. explanation of this
refusal that has been made is the
statement that no deal with the prob
lem in its application to banks, would
bs tb handle merely one phase Of it,
and the further promise that at some
Indefinite and unfixed future date will
deal with the whole problem in a sep
crate measure.
The question arose on September
18th, through a motion submitted by
Representative Walters of Pennsylvan-
ia, Progressive, to recommit the
bill to the Committee on Banking and
port it back with an amendment for
bidding interlocking directorships. The
Democrats promptly precluded debate
ON the amendment by ordering the
previous question, and thep under
the crack of the party whip defeat
ed tire amendment by vote of 265
no 100.
The other incident, more significant
IL not important, was the vote On the
amendment submitted by the commit
tee specifically raffirming tn gold
standard pldge of March IA, 1900. 81
Democrats revolted against the COM
mittee leadership and the caucus au-
hority. and voted against this amend
ment. The special significance of this
refusal is in the showing it makes of
the hold which free silver still has a.
mong the Democrats, These Ct rebels
against the authority of the caucus IN
sisted that the reaffirnlation OF the
gold standard pledge was. a gratuitous
slap in the face for large number
OF Democratic Congressman and Dem
ocratic voters. The committee had
submitted the amendment in response
10 the charge widely made by those
opposed to the bill that its language
as originally proposed was liable to be
construed as in effect repeating the
gold standard pledge. This lang
mage had been employed for the pur-
pose Of pacifying the silyerites, whose
leader is still William Jennings Bryan.
Chairman Glass of The committee hot
Iy denied that the criticised langua;,
was vague or ambiguous or that it
was capable of the suggested inter
probation. The committee refused to
change it, but got around the difficulty
by submitting an amendment specif
scally reaffirming the gold standard
pledge. % r&
Il The vote furnishes fair measure of
The Bryan strength in the House. The
Bryan Democrats are the ones who
fake special delight in calling themsel-
YES progressive" It pleases them to
magnify and EN- phasize their influence
IN the party and to point to themsel
res as evidence that the Democratic
party is becoming progressive"
From that point of view the roll call |
On this amendment is noteworthy, for
L has lined UP and conuted the Bryan.
nm left