The Lamar register., 1915-04-28
RIGGS BANK SUIT PROMISES TO
BE MOST SENSATIONAL


Skelton Williams, have been charged
with conspiracy to injure one of the
oldest and most respected banks in
the country, by the Riggs bank of
this city, an institution which began
business in 1896. The officials named
are charged with using their office
to satisfy a personal spite, in what
promises to be the most sensational
suit in the history of the national
bank act.
While the controversy between the
bank and the present management of
the treasury is largely of a technical
character, and while the merit of that
controversy will be determined by the
courts, the friends of the administra-
tion are greatly distressed over it be-
cause of its inevitable political effect.
Such an attack, made by so conserva-
tive and reputable an institution, on
Secretary McAdoo, following the very
very general criticism of him in con-
nection with the recently defeated
shipping bill, strikes at President Will
sons administration in its most vul-
nerable point. Democratic senators
said when congress adjourned that,
could they have allayed the wide
spread suspicion which had been oc-
casioned, even among their colleagues,
by Mr.. McAdoo's refusal to permit
that bill to be so amended as to pro-
hibit the purchase of interned vessels
belonging to belligerents, they could
have passed the shipping bill, so dear
to the presidents heart. Furthermore,
many democrats in both houses OF
congress expressed the opinion that
although there had been much unkind
criticism Of Secretary Bryan, Mr.. Nc
Adoo had become the administrations
greatest liability. Unless, therefore,
the courts shall completely exonerate
Secretary McAdoo from the charges
brought by the Riggs bank, he will
become a still greater liability and
the presidents position would be most
embarrassing because Mr.. McAdoo is
his son-in-law, as well as secretary of
the treasury, fact which would make
it most distasteful to the president
to have to ask for his resignation.
Still further to embarrass the pres
ident has arisen an unfortunate con-
troversy between Secretary Bryan and
the German ambassador over the pub
LEGATION of the latest German note. 1t
is not clear, in the first place, whether
the so-called note is really a com
munication from the foreign office or
whether it originated with the ambas-
sador. Furthermore, Count Won Bern
storff maintains that it was delivered
to the state department on April 2.
At first Mr.. Bryan declared it was not
so delivered until April 9. Now Mr..
Bryan says the note was delivered on
April 5, Just as he was leaving to
spend the week end at his country
home in Asheville, N. c., that it was
in German and that he paid little at
tention to it, merely passing it over
to a translator, and that he did not
receive the translation until April 8.
Mr.. Bryan says he never consented to
the publication of the note, whereas
the ambassador maintains that he did.
Some days ago, Mr.. Bryan said he
had not read the German note, but
that his subordinates had and were
preparing a reply. The president
gravely objects to the character of
the note and he considers it most un-
fortunate that this controversy re-
garding its receipt and publication
should have arisen.
The administration realizes keenly
that unless there is a return of pros
perity within the next twelve months
there will not be the slightest chance
for q democratic victory in 1916. This
is frankly admitted by democratic
leaders in private conversation and
the president himself is fully alive to
the situation. Recent elections have
emphasized this fact and the spokes-
men for the administration have be-
gun a campaign to convince the coun-
try that prosperity is already here
The secretary of commerce has issued
several statements showing the In