Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1913-05-16
WHEN THE SENATE FAILED.
(By CONGRESSMAN George A. Neeley.l

" ~ was hOeiul, ldCAiu6 III PV"ci.
All big stock-juggling operations are
conducted through some bank, either
private, state or national. Morgan's
bank was a private concern and
therefore not subject to either state
or national examination, and although
We found no difficulty in securing
the cooperation of the New York
State Banking Department in investi-
eating state banks, the comptroller Of
the currency hesitated when We re-
Quested that he disclose to use the
monumental stock jobbing operations
Of certain national banks and referred
the matter to President Taft. Pres
ident Taft in turn referred the mat
ter to the attorney general, and af-
ter repeated requests upon the part
Of the committee, the attorney gen.
eral decided that under the law 1t
was entirely discretionary with the
president as to whether or not the
comptroller of the currency should
comply with our request, and Presi-
dent Taft therefore renied us the
information so earnestly sought.
Il The committee was not deceived by
these dilatory tactics, and on the
18th day of May, 1912, the banking
and currency committee unanimously
reported H. R. 2415S, designed to
amend the law so as to confer au-
thority upon committee Of either
, house Of Congress, to compel the
giving of Pertinent information in
the possession of national banks.
The Rules committee Immediately re-
ported special rule giving this bill
precedence over other legislation; il
was forthwith taken up, and unani-
mously passed, not a single vote be-
ing registered in opposition. The
bill then went to the Senate where
; it was referred to the finance CON-
mittee, whose chairman was Boies
Penrose of Pennsylvania, prince of
standpatters. Penrose was away from
Washington campaigning in behalf OF
President Taft, and Joe Bailey Of
Texas, smeared with Standard Oil
from his head to his heels, was the
ranking Democratic member. Bailey
fought the bill and we importuned
:. senator after senator to help US get
. it out of committee, but without re-
: suits, and finally the committee made
n an adverse report on the bill, when
J Representative Byrnes and | prevail
t ed upon Senator Hoke Smith of Geor-
/ gia to file a minority report, and
e thus get it on the calendar of the
d senate.
J. Bristow Fails to Aid.
n Congress remained in session I'M
til the oath of August and adjourned.
y 1t re-convened December End, and
y remained in session from the End OF
December until it expired by opera
ton of law on the 4th of March, hav-
r ing been in session for over six
l. months after our bill was unanimous
n ly passed by the house and sent to
l. the senate, and during all OF this time
+ Senator Joseph l.. Bristow of Kansas,
d representing the most enlightened
and progressive constituency in the
0 union, sat silent in his seat, and
}, neither raised his hand nor lifted his
d voice in behalf of this bill, designed
to expose the stock-jobbing crooked
d ness of Wall street, and put the
gamblers on the rock.
We were straining every nerve TO
i make this investigation a success
y Every possible obstacle was being
u interposed to thwart the committee
y At one time We had thirty-six depu'
& ties trying to serve subpoenaes. Some
of the witnesses left the United
States and went to Canada; others
went to Europe and some OF those
who appeared before the committee
refused to answer questions designed
to expose their illegal acts. One wit
ness, George G. Rogers, was certified
re by the committee to the house foi
10 contempt, and is today under indict
81 ment by the grand jury Of the DIS
D. trict of Columbia because he refused
8. to disclose the information sought
s: And during all this time our com
ed mittee received absolutely no assist
oy ance whatever from Bristow Of Kan
70 sas, who, as Republican in a RepuI
'e. lican senate, was in such splendiI
- position to render important publ
. service.
l hope that Mr.. Rogers is convict
: ed for contempt in thus declining t
: answer the committees questions
! and that he pays the extreme penalt
: of the law by both fine and imprii
: onment. l say this, not because
L.. 90 ~