The Washington times., 1915-05-01
TREASURY INSISTS.
ONLY ISSUE IN RIGGS.
BANK CASE IS LEGAL.
COMPROMISE TALK GOSSIP
Neither Party to Suit Admits 1t
Is Looking for Adjustment
Out of Court.

Oul VI Soe' -
Craving out of the efforts of Treasury
officials and of the Administration 'o
hold down the Riggs Bank controversy
to the limits of a legal contention over
what are the powers of the Comptroller
and to prevent 1t from becoming an
issue Of large political and financial I'M
portance, rumors of possible peace par
leys between the contesting parties are
in circulation.
Thus far, no such move has been made
and neither side admits it is looking for
peace.
One source of the talk Of EFFORTS at
adjustment Is the fact that 1t Is well
known some of the Presidents ablest
advisers in the Cabinet are convinced
the controversy is one of doubtful value
to the Administration.
Fear 1t May Prove Hurtful.
Some fear it may prove hurttul to
the Federal reserve system. Under the
surface. in Administration circles. there
is a great deal OF talk pro and con
about the case and the possible resufs
of 1t.
But whether any compromise Is pos
eible under all the circumstances Ia
something which only future develop
1nents can show. Thus far, there seems
no basis but gossip for the idea OF ooin-
promise.
II way could be found to strip the
case of everything but the straight-out
issue of what the powers of the Comp
troller are. there is little doubt this
would meet the sanction of the Admin
istration. Officials are keeping the lid
on developments as far as possible and
preserving reticence as much as they
can, while insisting the only question
Is what the authority of the Comp
troller under the law is. But the bank
officials insist the charge OF persecu-
ton of the bank with a purpose to
wreck" 1t in order to satisfy person
altities, cannot be escaped.
Bank Officials Reply.
Charging that Comptroller Williams
through the statement issued last night
Is endeavoring to obscure the real issue
involved in the controversy between the
Riggs Bank and his office. and to leave
the public under the impression that the
bank has refused to furnish information
other banks are required to furnish. the
bank officials today issued the follow
ing statement:
"The statement given out by the Comp
troller Of the Currency last evening /!
intended to convey the impression tina
the Riggs Bank has refused to furnish
or has objected to furnishing his office
Information all banks have been re
uuired to and do furnish The Rigg'
National Bank has had no controversy
whatever with Comptroller William!
concerning any of the many calls h'
has made generally on banks. or will
respect to the frequent charges and ad
ditions which he has made on the state
ment blanks, and 1t has freely and ful
ly responded to every such general re
quest, besides numerous special demand
since he came into office.
THE effort thus to seSregate tn
Riggs Bank, to put 1t in class o,
itself, as being in opposition to thos
calls for information which the Comp
troller may lawfully make on any an
all banks, Is an attempt on his part Il
obscure the real issue between tn
Riggs Bank and the Comptroller. Tn
Comptroller may do many things, eve
within the law. which are burdenson
and veXatous, but the Riggs Bank doe
not and never has offered opposition t
them.
what the Riggs Bank has com
planned Of is that, broad as his lowfu
powers undoubtedly are. Comptrolle
Williams has exceeded them so far a
It Is concerned, even to the extent ,
violating lle law. lie mas literally pee
q law unto himself. without restraint o
limitation. 1t was to keep Comptrolle
Williams within the law that the Rigg
Bank was compelled to resort to tn
courts
Comptroller Williams caused a state
statement to be issued to the effect tha
additional information now required I
be set forth in the reports of the bank
has been hitherto obtained from a
banks by the examiners and has ne
simply applied to the Riggs Bank &
alleged.
The Comptroller's statement was:
when attention was directed to tn
statement that counsel for the Rige
National Bank had said the additions
ports of condition just sent out to na
tional banks had been demanded of tn
Riggs National Bank In particular
the past and that the sending out
the new forms for statements by tn
office of the Comptroller Is
belated attempt to obtain from all bank
information which the Riggs Bank ha
charged has been asked Of that ban
only In the past to such an extent ds
constitute the harassment and pers,
cution of which the bank complained
II was officially stated at the office ,
the Comptroller of the Currency thi
the statement thus attributed to Il
counsel for the Riggs National Ban
was wholly untrue, and that no portic
of the additional information called f,
in the new reports of condition has bee
asked from the Riggs National Bar
during the examinations which ha,
been made of that bank beyond the II
formation which every national bar
examiner has for years past been r
at the time of each examination"