The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-01-31
is WELL KNOWN
IN PENSACOLA
PROMINENT CANDIDATE FOR AP-
PoINTMENT AS COMPTROLLER
OF THE CURRENCY VISITOR
HERE WHEN HE WAS GOVERN
MENT BANK EXAMINER.

leans 11meS-DeuOCTdI OF january 70
will interest many people in Pensa-
cola who met the gentleman named
when he came here while bank exam
liner. The New Orleans paper says:
JAMES r. STEVENS.
Senators and representatives from
Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana,
and solid phalanx OF cotton belt
bankers, are supporting James R.
Stevens. clearing house examiner for
New Orleans, for the high position of
comptroller Of the currency under the
Wilson administration. His candi-
dacy bids fair to have the Endorsement
of all the Gulf States. and is to be
due the South. New Orleans bankers,
without exception, are in favor Of the
appointment of Mr.. Stevens, and be-
lieve him well qualified for the po-
sition they seek for him.
Mr.. Stevens has letters from SEN
ators and representatives in the
South pledging their support, and
stating that they already have writ
ten President-ele Wilson urging his
appointment, or that they will see him
when he becomes president in behalf
OF Mr.. Stevens and on behalf Of the
South.
Bankers in New Orleans Friday ex-
pressed themselves as heartily in favor
OF the appointment and were pro-
fuse in praises of Mr.. Stevens. He is
personally known to all Of them, and
one after another they stated that a
better man for the position could not
be found in the United States. Said
the president Of one Of the largest
banks in New Orleans:
'Mr. Stevens is the man for the
place. He is a born banker-he has
been bank examiner long enough to
know what is required Of him; he is
energetic, a man of high moral stand
ing, is not afraid of work. is thor
ough, systematic, careful to a fault,
and big enough IN brain and expert
ence to make the best comptroller
OF the currency has had for many
years." This was the expression OF
all the prominent bankers.
Is DUE THE SOUTH.
The South is considered entitled to
this place. There has been only one
comptroller from the South since the
passage of the national bank act, June
8, 1854. This was william L. Tren-
holm, appointed from South Carolina
by President Cleveland April so,
1886. He resigned April 80, 1889.
The Gulf States have never had rep
resentative in this important office.
Bankers in New Orleans and in every
other city in the Gulf States are
strongly in favor of having a man ap-
pointed from their group this time,
and since Mr.. Stevens is a man who is
known throughout the South and has
had a wide experience among banks,
they insist that he is the man for the
place
In qualifications, Mr.. Stevens stands
well to the front among bankers
throughout the union. He began his
banking career twenty years ago with
the National Live Stock Bank of Fort
Worth, Tex; was afterward cashier
of the First National Bank of Hunts
vile. Ala: then cashier of the Hen
derson National Bank Of Huntsville,
March 1, 1909, he was appointed ma
tional bank examiner and has covered
at different times the states Of Lou
isiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia
and Florida. October 1, 1912, he ac-
copied the position Of clearing house
examiner for the city Of New Or
leans.
NATIVE MIssIssIPPIAN.
James Richardson Stevens was
born at Brandon, Miss, May 81, 1870.
He attended the common schools of
the small town until he was far
enough advanced to enter the Epis-
copal high schools at Alexandria, Va.
After completing the course there,
he finished his education in the Uni
versity of Virginia, at Charlottesville.
Immediately after having graduated he
went to Fort Worth, Tex. and en-
gagged himself to the National Live
Stock bank of that city. The biog-
raphy of his life may be summed up
and had his being in banks and bank
ing circles from that day until the
present time, and knows the business
| thoroughly from bottom to top.
While Mr.. Stevens is seeking the
position of comptroller Of the cur
rency, and is working industriously
| to get 1t, salary Is not the consid-
Grafton. The salary he is receiving
now as clearing house examiner is
more than the comptroller receives
Said he: II am seeking the position
because my friends have requested
me to do so, because 1 know the
field, and because ] believe the South
and particularly the Gulf States,
should have a representative in this
| important office. 1 know the field
and because my friends are support
ing me, 1 have promised them I would
! try and try hard for the appoint