Barton County democrat., 1913-10-03
SPEAKS OUT IN MEETING.
Senator Thompson Tells Where He
Stands on Currency Matter.

| Washington. D. c., Sept. 26-Se1
atOr Thompson, Of Kansas, is not
only a believer in currency reform
and a suppoter of the Glass-0weC
currency bill, but also stands Loyalty
by President Wilson in his demand
for action at the present session. The
senator believes that the people are
almost a unit in demanding egisla-
ton for the improvement of the cur
rency system of the country anc
ne says so plainly to those who have
written him protesting against the
bill. The senator has received pro
tests Of this kind from some of his
banker constituents. In his reply the
senator makes his position in the mat
ter clear and positive. He says:
Protests against the bill are an
exception rather than the rule, for
most bankers throughout the country
are recommending currency legisla'
tion and the passage of this bill'
with a few notifications. | think it
is the general sentiment of all bank
ers that some legislation OF this
kind is absolutely necessary and
am sure that it is the general opin-
ion of thep ublic. So the bankers OF
the country may just as we'll make
up their minds that there will be leg
islation along this line and that the
main ideas Of the pending bill will
be carried out.
: THE bankers of the country sc
far seem unable to control condi-
tions so as to prevent the occurrence
of panics and money stringencies ev
cry few years, and when such condl
tions exist it is high time that some
power take hold of the matter that
is able to handle it. The national
banks are simply creatures Of the
government, and could not exist fol
a moment without its consent, the
same as the railroads and other pub
lie utilities. To say that the gov
ernment which ceates a thing has
not the power to regulate it, is alb
surd. That was the position that
the railroads took when they denied
the right of the government to con
troll them. They now admit that they
were wrong and that the government
was right.
IN currency matters the ques-'
tion now is simply whether the bank
shall control the government or the
government control the bans. Fol
my part, / would prefer to risk tbs
government, especially in view Of the
fact that the banks have shown theiI
absolute inability and incapability t.
deal with the subject.
HThis legislation will prevent pan
les, not produce them. SO there is
no need to worry over that feature
of the matter. The sooner the peo
pie get this panic idea out Of theil
heads, the better it will be for all
concerned. 1t was the ghost thai
they tried to defeat the tariff leg
islation with, and now it is again
brought out of the closet in an at
tempt to defeat currency legislation
But you will find that it will no'
brighten anybody now and that the
lbil will pass before congress ad
journs ard receive the sanction ant
approval Of every legitimate banl
in the country and Of the people gen
orally. Above all else, there will b.
no panic.
Il am fully aware of the systemat
ic propaganda inaugerated on Wal
street among the banks who natuT
ally do not wish to give up their i'm
mense power of control and whose Il
fluence extends to many Of the bank
throughout the country, yet in tn
end it will avail them nothing. Th'
money trust has controlled the mon
ley OF this country long enough an'
it is now time for the people to hav
a say, and the Wilson administra
ton proposes to carry out the wish
es Of the whole people in this res