The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1914-01-21
RICHMOND MAKES CLAIM.
SOUTH CAROLINA BANKERS BE.
FORE ORGANIZATION COM
MITTEE.
Have Not Yet Asked for Regional
Bank, but Ask for Better Division
OF District-City Will Have Chance
to Talk at Hearing i'm Atlanta Next
Month.

Washington, Jan. 15.-Although
they did not ask for the regional
bank today at the hearing before Sec
retaries McAdOO and Houston, the
committee charged with the duty of
arranging districts and providing re-
gional banks under the new currency
law, r. Goodwin Rhett of Charles
ton, j. =. Matthews of Columbia and
Bright Williamson of Darlington made
strong appeal for q better line of di-
vision than that now contemplated in
the establishment of the banks.
AT this hearing there were present
not less than $50 prominent bankers
and business men from Virginia
West Virginia and North Carolina
The Virginians came i'm two groups
part coming last night as an advance
guard to make preliminary plans for
todays hearing and the remainder,
about 100, coming on special train
from Richmond, which reached
Washington at noon loaded with
/ Richmond boosters.
Secretary McAdoo's room was pack
ed to it's fullest limit when he raped
for order at 2.30 o'clock. The Rich
mOnders then took the floor and for
about two hours every possible agru-
ment was advanced to show why that
CITY should be chosen as the place for
a regional bank over any other place
in it's territory trying for it. Maps,
figures, statistics and data by the
trunk full were produced to show why
Richmond should be chosen, much
Of this matter having already been
exploited through the trip Of some
of Richmopd's business men to Co.
lumbia and elsewhere in the South
There was nothing to it, ehe Rich
mond people said, but that place,
and they lin reality, had North Car
olina and West Virginia pulling their
way just as if the latter had Rich
mond in their respective States.
The arguments produced by the
Virginians were about such as might
be expected on such an occasion.
Richmond, the speakers said, had
everything that goes to make for sue
cess and the government, they claim
ed, would certainly not do it's duty un-
less a regional bank should be To-
Gated there.
Mr.. Rhett, when his name was call
ed, said that he did not come to
Washington at this time to argue the
merits of locating regional bank at
Columbia, as that would be done next
month when Columbia's claims are
heard at Atlanta, but he wanted to
state the position of Columbia in the
matter, which is that the people of
that city and section are not satis-
fled with the present districts. They
have no objection to being in the dis
trict with Richmond, but do not want
to be in the same one with Atlanta
This question of districts should be
settled before the different cities
make their claims for the banks, and
this is the position which Mr.. Rhett
assumed. E[e said that while Column
bia by not pressing her claim today
did not mean to indicate that she
would not make hard fight for .he
bank-for she will--but that city is
not satisfied with the present district
lines and wants these changed.
Mr.. Rhetts remarks received close
attention and from the questions
which both Secretaries McAdoo and
Houston asked appeared to be more
than ordinarily interesting.
Ex-Governor Ansel spoke outlin-
ing the position which the city OF
Greenville had taken in advocating
Richmond He offered a few sug-
gestions regarding what he thought
might be done toward making the
regional banks a success.
j. Il. Matthews said after the hear
ing that Columbia was in the fight to
stay until the finish. You must not
believe" he said that because we
die not urge today the establishment
o: a regional bank at Columbia that
we are not lighting, for we are. What
we want is first To have the district
arranged in Il suitable way. Our time
for telling the committee what we
have will come when we reach Atlanta
on February u. Yes, you may say
that although Richmond put up b.e
tisht today that that does not worry
Us in the least. We are not the kind
u quit
Bright Williamson was equally en-
thusiaStic after the hearing. He said
like Mr.. Matthews, that the fight for
Il bank in Columbia would be carried
Ia the end.
AS both Secretaries McAdoC and