The Sentinel=record., 1913-12-16
SENATOR ROOT
 UNDER ATTACK
DEMOCRATIC SENATORS SCORE HIM FOR REGENT SPEECH ON
 THE CURRENCY BILL.
Say His Candidacy for the Presidency and Leadership of Opposition Are Significant.

Washington Dec 15.-Victory for the administration forces in the first test of strength on the currency re form bill marked today's session of the Senate. The vote, 40 to 35, tab led substitute offered by Senator Hitchcock for section two of the ad- 1 ministration bill, proposing q system of four regional banks with a pos sible increase to eight, the regional banks stock to be owned by the pub lie
 The defeat of this amendment prac- tically assured the adoption of the l Owen plan, which provides for from eight to twelve regional banks, with the stock owned by the national banks 1 that become members of the respec- | tive regional banks.
 The Democrats claimed the result of the test vote, involving one of the mots important features of the fight, indicates the complete success of the administration measure.
 Efforts to get an agreement for a time to begin final voting on the Dill were not successful today, but lead CTS on both sides of the chamber look ed forward to an early termination of the debate and for final action be- fore the end of the week.
 When the Hitchcock substitute had been tabled Senator Reed made a speech vigorously defending the Owen bill and replying to Senator Root who, on Saturday, attacked the measure and called Secretary Bryan the dom- mating influence" behind the propos- ed new currency system.
 Replying directly to Senator Roots predictions that undue imitation and a financial panic might ensue if the currency bill were passed in it's pres ent form, Senator Reed declared no imitation of the currency could occur unless the sound money men who run the banks" brought it about
 "This is a workable bill" he de- clared. Ut is not surcharged with destruction to business. If added checks ought to be put in, for one, am willing to put them in. But the senator from New York spent his time telling of the dire things that would happen to business and spent but lit- tie time explaining his own proposed , amendments.
 No one has the right to stand on the floor of this Senate and undertake to alarm the business interests of the country when there is no just cause for 1t. I doubt the high patriotism of the man who will stand here and cry wolf. wolf when there is no wolf. who will take this chance of iniuring the multitude who may be misled by such a cry"
 Senator Reed said a "typewritten document" proposing Senator Root for the presidency had been prepared and given to the press before he made his speech. Tt is not difficult then 10 understand why the secretary of state was brought in" he added. |. When the voice of ambition is call ing to higher honors it is not difficult 1 lO uLuti oldhu ludb Alth oOlll1tAlAAN' ~ will let their interest overcome their spirit of fairness and candor.
 If we ever have imitation of the currency under this bill it will be caused by the bankers of the coun' try and by no one else. Even if MT. Bryan was all that he has been paint ed by his enemies; even if he favor ed imitation of the currency, which no one has the right to charge; even if his influence was to stand back of this proposed federal reserve I
 and to control the men who will be appointed by the president; that board cannot put out one dollar of additional currency until there has been a call made upon it by the re- gional banks, whose boards will be