Albuquerque morning journal., 1913-12-19
All Amendments Presented
by Senator Hitchcock Are
Promptly Voted Down by
Decisive MajoritieS
HOLIDAY RECESS is
PRACTICALLY CERTAIN
Proposition 10 Have Appointive
Positions Without Civil Ser
vice Examinations ProyOkes
Protest,
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Washington. Dee. lS.-- With the
democratic legislative machinery run
ming smoothly. the administration
currency bill moved rapidly today to-
wards rs final passage in the senate.
The last of the amendments TO the
measure was voted down, and sena-
tor owen began proposing the dem
ocrauc amendments calculated 60
perfect the measure, which We're
adopted without meeting strenuous
protest.
Legislative leaders declared to-
night the end of the currency fight
was in sight In the house, Speaker
Clark and Majority Leader Under
wood expressed the opinion that the
measure would 90 to the president
and be written into law by Monday
or Tuesday at the latest,
Mr. Underwood announced his in
tontion OF offering an adjournment
resolution which would give congress
u holiday recess until January A.. ass
soon as the bin was passed. Informal
conferences on the measure, he said,
already had settled all but a few dis
puted points In the differences be-
tween the two houses
The final efforts of senator Hitch
cock and the republicans 10 inject
some of their ideas into the bill. were
voted down one after another TODAY,
the senate operating under the agree
ment TO limit speeches to fifteen min
utes each Then Senator owen pre-
sented the amendments agreed on by
the democratic conference last night
The opposition did not insist on roll
calls and the amendments We're
adopted with little debate until sena-
tor owen presented one to authorize
the federal reserve board to appoint
attorneys, experts and assistants
without regard 10 the civil service
laws Then the republicans broke
forth In protest and prevented inn
mediate action.
one amendment adopted provided
that banks In the new system could
not employ former secretaries Of the
treasury, assistant secretaries. comp
trollers of the currency, or members
OF the federal reserve hoard for two
years after they severed their con-
nection with the government An
other change gave the secretary OF
the treasury discretion 10 use partf
Of the earnings OF the regional banks
to build up the gold reserve. The
salary Of the members Of the federal
reserve bunrd was Increased from
$4,000 TO $4,000. 4 number Of
calculated 10 simplify
the work OF putting the new system
into operation were adopted and va
rious changes were made to faclli-
tate the entrance of state banks and
trust companies
Senators Root EristoW Burton and
Cummins attacked the democrats for
the proposal that the employees Of the
board should be exempt from civil
service requirements.
1T Is now apparent said senator
BristoW, that the haste enforced on
the consideration Of this bill is not
only proposed to dulet the financial
unrest in The country Tut also to sat
isfy the horde of hungry office seek
ers who have besieged the capital for
the last ten months Opening up
these positions TO parlisanship would
force the federal reserve board 10 go
into politics whether il wanted 60
ot nol"
Senator owen declared but small
number oi employees would be az
fected by the provision and asserted
the amendment was proposed In or
der that the federal reserve board
might not be hampcred OF delayed in
beginning work
when the senate recessed at o
o'clock the democratic conference re-
assembled to perfect final amend
nents to the bill
when the democratic conference,
called to perfect final amendments ON
HE bill adjourned at o'clock It had
.omplcted work on the bill and had
endorsed amendments covering "a
number of the points most vigorously
demanded By the republicans. These
included provision for an extension
# time limit Of the rediscount bill,
IS regards agricultural trans
tctions from ninety days to one hum
ired and eighty days, with the dis
retion left TO the board of reserve
o accept the longer time paper; the
guarantee of deposits In state banks
hat may Join the associations as we'll
is in the national banks. and a pro-
'isiou that would permit clearing
louse associations to continue their
present system Of examining the
Transactions Of the banks within the
Tearing house associations.
The democrats determined to stand
~ their amendment taking out Of
he civil service the experts and Of
icers Of the new currency system.
The amendment proposing to increase