The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1915-04-23
M'ADOO Big
EMBARRASSMENT
Son-in-lawS Attitude Brings
Wide Criticism.
Controversy Between Bryan and
German Ambassador Also
Causing Trouble.

and the Comptroller of the Currency,
John SHELTON 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 personal spite. in
what promises to be the most SEN
satioual suit in the history of the Ma
iional Bank Act.
While the controversy between the
bant and present management OF
the Treasury is largely of a techni-
cal character, and while the merits
of that controversy will be deter
mined by the courts, the friends OF
rhe Administration are greatly dis
tressod over it because of its inevita
bile political effect. Such an attack,
made iy so conservative and repu-
table an institution, on Secretary Nc
Adoo, following the very general ori-
ticism Of him in connection with the
recently defeated shipping bin
STRIKES at President Wilson admins
ration in its most vulnerable point
Democratic Sensi ors said when
Congress adjourned that, could they
have a',ayed the widespread suspi-
cion which had been occasioned. even
among their colleagues, by Mr.. Nc
AGoo's refusal to permit that bill to
De- so amended as to prohibit the pur-
chase %. intarned vessels belonging
ro. belliEerauts, they could have pass
a3 the Shipping bill so dear to the
Frtgi1cuts heart. Furthermore, many
Democrats in both Houses OF Con
ereGs e.gressed the opinion that al
,hothafe had been much unkind cri-
ieism q, Secretary Bryan, Mr.. Nc
AdoO had become the administca-
tiob's greatest liability.
Unless. therefore, the courts shall
completely exonerate Secretary Nc
ad0o ir0m the charges brought by
me figgs Bank, he will become 4
strll greater liability and the Presi-
dents oosition would be most en-
iarrassin~ because Mr.. McAdoo is
his son-;n-law, as well as Secretary
of The Treasury, fact which would
make it most distasteful to the Pres
ident to have to ask for his resigna-
tion.
bsan and won BernstOrff.
sim further to embarrass the Pres
idcnt has arisen an unfortunate con-
troycrsy between Secretary Bryan
and The German ambassador over the
publication of the latest German note
IL ,e Bot GEAR in the first place,
whether the so-Called mote" is really
a. cor muuication from the Foreign
office or whether it originated with
tho AN hassadOr. Furthermore, Count
delivered to the State Department on
April 2. At first Mr.. Bryan declared
it was not delivered until April 8.
Now Mr. Bryan says the note was de-
livered or April 5, just as he was
leaving 10 spend the week end at his
country home in Ashevile n. c. that
il was in German and he paid little
attention to it, merely passing il
over to 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 main
tains 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 objected to the character of
the note and he considers ii most UNI
fortunate that this controversy re-
gardiug its receipt and publication
should have arisen.
Prosperity by Proclamation.
The administration realizes keen
ly'that unless there is a return of
prosperity within the next twelve
months there will not be the slight
est chance for aDemocratic victory
IN 1915. This is frankly admitted
by Democratic leaders in private
conversation and the President him
self is fully alive to the situation. Re-
cent elections have emphasized this
fact and the spokesman of the ad-
ministration have begun a campaign
10 convince the country that pros
perity is already here. The Secre-
tary OF Commerce has issued several
statements showing the increased or
ders in certain industries, without,
however, supplying details showing
how many of these orders were di-
rectly due TO the war in Europe. The
Bank Examiners issued another state
ment tending to prove that the whole