The Washington herald., 1913-10-14
SENATE DEBATES
CURRENCY BILL
Members Seek to Learn Date
Committee VIII Report
Measure.
MPATIENcE IS RESENTED
Senator Reed Says No Partisanship
Has Been Displayed in censid-
eraiion of Legislation.
MPATIENCE IS RESENTED


the Senate Committee on Banking ana
Currency to elicit information from
members of that organization on the
floor of the Senate yesterday projected
one Of the most entertaining exhibitions
OF sdestepping witnesses during the
present Congress.
The members of the Banking and Cur
rency Committee seemingly are in ac-
cord upon but one point with regard to
the time at which they win make a re-
port to the Senate as to their delibera-
tions on the pending bill. They are in fur
ther accord on the point OF resenting out
side criticism and the alleged intention
of the administration Senator to force
from them a report within a given time
Tho discussion started when Senator
Ashurst OF Arizona sought to obtain from
the Senate unanimous consent for the
setting apart Of q portion of January
from the Sth to the 29th-to the discus
sion Of his constitutional amendment pro-
viding for the extension OF suffrage to
women. In a flash Senator Hoke Smith
OF Georgia was on his feet. He apprised
the Senate of his reasons for opposing
unanimous consents to the setting apart
of time at this juncture.
Senator Smith said:
Statement of Senator Smith.
II cannot willingly grant time during
the month OF January to the discussion
of this constitutional amendment or any
other piece of legislation. The way for
it is not clear. There may be the cur
rency bill. the most important measure
pending before this Congress, right here
in the Senate during January 1t must
not be held up by this or anything else.
shall make 1t my duty to object to the
cumbering Of the Senate calendar by
any unanimous agreements to discuss
special legislation before the currency
bill is entirely out of the way"
Then Senator Smith took occasion to
tell the Senate that he thought there
might be recess of Congress while the
Senate had the Glass-Owen bill under
discussion.
Senator Smith is not a member OF the
Banking and Currency Committee and
therefore not Prepared, he said. to en-
tighten the Senate as to just when the
bill would be reported, but he thought
that the committee was justified in its
expressed intention TO take ample time
with its hearings, its private discussion
Of the bill, and its preparation of its
report. Then he subsided.
A little later Senator Reed of Missouri,
majority member of the committee,
made a lengthy statement of his own
position with regard to currency legis-
lation. He was questioned by Senator
Yardaman of Mississippi with regard
to when a report might be expected on
the bill
Expressing great surprise that the
Junior Senator from Mississippi should
so interrogate him, Senator Reed told
the Senate that the members Of his COM
mittee deeply resented the efforts to
goad them into action, as expressed by
their colleagues, and from other sources.
He told the Senate how important cur
rency legislation was, and called their
attention to the fact that for nearly
five months the Senate had discussed in
committee and upon the floor the tariff
bill, the general principles of which had
been settled in the public mind at the
last Presidential election. He told the
Senate that the committee on Banking
and Currency was trying to bring out
a bill which represented the best inter-
ests of the people of the United States,
without regard to party or section.
Committee Finding Light.
There has been no partisanship dis
played in the Banking and Currency
said Senator Reed. I'VE
have been seeking the light, and we
think we are finding II. We believe I
that the BILL as amended by the Sem |
ate committee, will receive the support
of our committee without the sugges-
tion of a party line being drawn |
therein"
The committee will end its hearings
on October 25," said Senator O'Gorman. |
TT will then take up the matter OF
its report and reframing this
bill, which is filled with inaccuracies
and mistakes. both in principles and
The committee may-I
say the committee may, and perhaps
it will-be ready to render its report
about the middle of November"
Then Senator o'Gorman sat down,
and Senator Bristow, the only Repub-
lican who participated in the discus
sion, told the Senate something Of the
deliberations. and indorsed
the pleas of Senators Reed and OGor-
man for due care and deliberation In
the preparation Of the revised bill.
Senator Owen, chairman of the Bank
ing and Currency Committee, thought
yesterday that he had discovered a real
insurgent banker in the person of s.
D. Scudder, president of the Richmond
Trust Company, who had baked at the
action of the American Bankers As
ISOLATION in Boston last week, when II
uttered its criticism of the Glass bill. |
The chairman put Mr.. Scudder on the |
stand yesterday morning, in advance |
Of hearing the group of country bank |
ers who are in Washington to express
opposition to certain items Of the bill |
WAS there a conspiracy of any sort?" |
demanded Senator O'Gorman.
"Oh, no; none whatever" replied Mr. |
5cudder. There was apparently a de- |
sire on the part of some of the leaders |
% rush through report of the committee |
.riticising the administration BILL"
Their course was not dissimilar from I
hat pursued by certain advocates of the |
Measure, high in authority, was 1t not?"
,sked Senator Weeks. And a general |
augh ran around the table.
Once more Senator o'GormRn came back |
o the attack by asking Mr.. Scudder IL |
lis institution, not a national bank. would |
20 into the projected system as it would |
70 permitted under the terms of the bill |
Il present.
"well that would be a question for my
stockholders to decide" replied Mr.. |
;cudder. st presume that they would.
we're the bill amended in certain details"
"Then you think the bill should be
.mended after aIl?" pursued Senator
1Gorman.
'oh. yes: some of its details ought TO
'e reframed"
At the afternoon session, which was /
delayed until o'clock by the Democratic
quabbfe in the Senate. George w. Rogers,
4 Little Rock. Ark, head of the country
'ankers' committee was the first witness
o appear. He addressed the committee in
'eneral terms regarding the pending bill
St Louis. No., is to establish dairy
arm to supply milk for the city, hospital
nd other institutions. l.