The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1916-08-15

Under date of July 30, the Rut-
land Herald published an article
under the caption, "Will Mr.. VII
Hams Answcr?' which contained
the following paragraph:
TO bring a disagrecable contro-
versy to focus, will MIR. Frank c.
Williams. state bank commissioner,
inform the voters whether he has
ever had cause to critiCise Senator
Pages banking methods, (D re-
garding the evasion of state taxes,
(2) regarding misleading state
ments in his advertisements, CD
regarding the guarantee by some of
the banks directors OF some
100000 Of the banks funds, in
vested outside the state?
Under date of Thursday, Aug
10th, Mr.. Williams addressed the
following communication to the
editor OF the Herald:
For several weeks I have noticed news
items and editorial statements in several
Vermont newspapers, charging that the
banking methods of the Lamoille County
Savings Eank and Trust company, of
which Senator Page is president, have been
illegal ana misleading to the depositing
public, and very strongly intmating that
the bank commissioner had either been
negligent in the performance of his duties,
or had overlooked the faults in the man
agement OF that particular bank. The
MoEriSyille Messenger, answering aphau-
entity for Senator Page, stated that the
depositors of the bank had not been de-
Ceived by the banks advertisements, and
that no improper or Illegal practices by
the bank had been discovered by the bank
commissioner. on August l l noticed an
editorial in the BrattIeboro Reformer.
making more specific charges with rela-
ton to the practices of the bank, and
charging that the bank commissioner has
been derelict in his duty, and the RAN
dolph Herald last week stated that If the
banks methods We're improper. it was the
duty of the bank commissioner to pro-
coed Not having done So it is too much
to expect him to give evidence against
himself An editQgial in the saIsuuand
4
charges and others with relation To the
same matter. and asks the bank com
missioner whether he has ever had cause
to criticise Senator Pages methods. first,
regarding the evasion of State taxes, sec
ond, regarding misleading statements in
his advertisements, third, regarding the
guarantee by some of the banks directors
of funds invested outside Vermont The
Reformer states that ! have been repeat
eddy asked to state the facts with rcIa-
tion 10 the methods of Senator Page.
ana have not replied. have hoped
that Senator PAGE would frankly state
the facts with relation to all the
matters referred To, and as to the
position taken by the bank commissioner.
which would certainly clear the bauking
department Of any suspicion of negligence
or favoritism with relation to the. prac-
tees referred to. and would also assure
the public that all such practices had been
stopped, and would thus avoid any posi-
bic claim that the bank commissioner
was making any statement for political
purposes, but | am very jealous Of the rep
utation of the banking department Of
Vermont, and am not willing that the peo-
pie of the State should get a wrong i'm
preston as to the attitude of the bank
commissioner with relation to Illegal or
improper practices by officers of any
banks over which he has jurisdiction This
is my reason for answering the charges
which have been made. I think it is fully
as important that the people of the state
should have confidence in the integrity
and independence of the bank commits
sioncr, as that any particular individual
should be elected United states senator.
realize that the people of this state have
a right to know what the attitude of the
bank commissioner has been towards any
improper or Illegal practices of the banks
but | wish to have it plainly understood
that during my term of office as bank
commissioner, the money deposited in the
Lamoillc County Savings Bank & Trust
company has been safe. and the bank has
been solvent. and its condition at the
present time is better, and the bank is
stronger than at any time during the past
six years.