The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-11-08
BINDING CAUCUS
MAY Be ORDERED
FOR DEMOCRATS
Administration Van ts
to See How Sena-
tors Stand.
NUMBER OF BANKS
STILL UNDECIDED
Committee Considering Currency
Bill Reconsiders Vote by Which
Four Regionals Is Deter
mined Upon, and Question
Remains Open When Ad-
.journment Is Taken.
Especial to The T,mes-Dlspatch

n.
| Washington. November 7.--Unless all
signs fail the administration is en-
deavoring to force situation in the
Senate that will Justify 1t IN demand
ing binding caucus at which tho
| plan will bo put forward to SEQ tho
hands OF all Democratic Senator's on
the currency question and Jam through
the administration bill without amend
mcnt
| by a vote of to .. through the
courtesy OF Crawford. of South Dakota.
who did not realize the parliamentary
advantage he gave the adminlstratio
men the currency men this morning
decided to reconsider the vote by
/ which four regional banks were de-
/ tcrmined upon.
| immediately upon reconsideration be-
ing ordered, Senator O'Gornlan sug-
gcsled seven rcgionals instead of four
| Senator Shafroth moved that the Fed
cral board be authorized and directed
10 establish eight regional banks. with
! authority In its discretion to increase
tho number 70 twelve II found neccs-
| sary.
! Opposition TO Vote.
Upon this motion the discussion, OF
The afternoon was based. Chiefly ad-
vocates OF the larger number talked
Just before O'Clock, when tho com
! mittcc was TO adjourn, tho adherents
1 OF the original proposition. four re-
gional banks urged that the vote be
taken. Administration Senator's OBJ
1ccted. Senator Hitchcock remarked
! that the action of his Democratic col
| leagues was q strange manner or has
| tening consideration as tho President
so ardently desired. Chairman Owen
however, opposed the vote. ana the
committee adjourned with the uucs-
| tion still open.
| II was pointed out to-day that any
/ thing which will empla sizo the delay
I and bring into prominence the impassc
+ that apparently confronts the com
| mittee, Will strengthen the hands of
! the President when he asks that the
| currency bill be taken up in a party
| caucus, and instructions given the
committee as to how il will proceed
and il what fashion II shall shape the
! bill now before il. Senators asserted
Tonight that this new element of de-
! lay Injected by the administration men
/ on tho committee Is all part of the
| game to put the faction Of the com
mittee heretofore in control In n false
| position before the country.
| o'Gorman for Lnrge Number
| whether Senator owen and his as
| sociates Will permit vote to be taken
| tomorrow is problematicai. Senator
oGorman voted for four rcgionaI
banks when the bill was first amended
~ Is beiicNcd lie Will support ths
iarser number nows How Senator
! Need who did not support the original
iour VIII now vote is not known lie
uio not indicate in to-days commit
Tee discussion. The vote probably will
| be q tie. which Will not prevent any
chanse IN the number or regional
banks as provided by the House bin.
Senator Crawford will support tho
republicans In their vote for four
banks but the deadlocking OF the com
mtttee again is due entirely to his de
sire TO be courteous to Senator's who
heid views opposite to his own. and
give 'nen1 the unexpected opportunity
u rcopening the whole question
however. as one member Of the com
! nlittee said tonight, this same dead
ioekeo i vote over the proposition to
banks below the number authorised ~
tho iiouso bill VIII he found again
when II comes to attempting to report
the Dill TO the Senate with the House
provision unchanged. Unless the mum
DER oil regionals is satisfactory TO those
who originally cut down tho number
tie vote will result on the motion To
report the bin TO the senate, and n liz
vote always fails to authorize affirm
ative action.
Delay Is Threatened
One member OF the committee de-
ciared Tonight with emphasis that IL
pubic ownership and public control
OF the regional banks Is denied. no bin
VIII be permitted to he enacted at this
session and Indefinite delay will nc-
company consideration of the bill in
the next session
senator Crawrord's amendment Civ
Ing regional banks power, after au
| thor!zation by the Federal reserve
board TO engage in general commercial
banking, was voted down to-day by n
vote of 10 to ., Senators Crawford
and Bristow alone supporting it.
When the committee took up the bill
section by section, and began whipping
II into shape. tho administration won
out on its contention that the Score
tary OF the Treasury should he an ey-
oiiicio member of tho Federal Reserve
5oard. The committee again declined
to include tho Secretary OF Agriculture
and the Comptroller OF the Currency.
Senator's Weeks. Bristow and Mclean
voted against retaining the Secretary
of the Treasury
other amendments agreed upon pro-
vide that national banks within sixty
days after notice that the regional re-
serve banks have been organized must |
signify their intentlon OF entering the
system, No national bank can net as |
n reserve agent for any other bank. |
unless within ninety days after notice |
OF the organization OF the now system. |
II announces Its adherence to tho sys- |
tenn, and purposes to enter. The pro- |
vision for the double liability of stock |
holders WAS eliminated
petition for caucus was circu-
lated during the day. Sufficient sirna-
tures were obtained. and when Chair
man Kern, or the caucus. returns Mon
day, tho call will DO issued. Mean
While, while before he left Washington last
Continued On Third Page,)