The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1916-08-17

Chal
Under date Of July 20, the
Rutland Herald published an
article under the caption. will
Mr.. Williams Answer" which
contained the following para
graph:
To bring a disagreeable con-
troversy TO focus, will Mr..
Frank 6. Williams. state bank
commissioner, inform the voters
whether he has ever had cause
to criticize Senator Pages bank
ing methods, % regarding the
evasion Of state taxes, (2) re-
earding misleading statements
In his advertisements, (3) re.
garding the guarantee by some
Of the banks directors Of some
100000 of the banks funds,
invested outside of the state?
Under the date OF Thursday,
August 10, Nh. Williams adj
dressed the following commun-
ication to the editor of the
Herald:
"For several weeks have noticed
news items and editorial statements
in several Vermont newspapers, charg-
ing that the banking methods of the
Lam0ille County Savings Bank and
Trust company, Of which Senator
Page is president, have been illegal
and misleading to the depOsting pub
lie, and very strongly intimating that
the bank commissioner had either
been negligent in the performance of
his duties, or had overlooked the
faults in the management OF that par
ticular bank. The Morrisville Mes
senger, answering apparently for Sen
ator Page, stated that the depostors
of the bank had not been deceived by
the banks advertisements, and that
no improper or Illegal practices by the
bank had been discovered by the
bank commissioner. On August ! |
noticed an editorial in the Brattleboro
Reformer, making more specific
charges with relation to the practices
OF the bank, and charging that the
bank commissioner has been derelct
in his duty, and the Randolph Herald
last week stated that IF the banks
methods were 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 editorial in the
Rutland Herald the last week in July
reviews these charges and others with
relation to the same matter, and asks
the bank commissioner whether he
has ever had cause to criticize Senator
Pages methods, first, regarding the
evasion of State taxes, second. regard
ing misleading statements in his ad-
vertisements, third, regarding the
guarantee by some of the banks dir
ectors of funds invested outside Yer
mont The Reiormer states that |
have been repeatedly asked to state
the facts with relation to the methods
of Senator Page, and 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 com
missioner, which would certainly clear
the banking department of any sus.
picion of negligence or favorltism
with relation to the practices referred
to, and would also assure the public
that all such practices had been stop
ped, and would thus avoid any posi-
BILE claim that the bank commissioner
was making any statement for polite.
al purposes, but | am very jealous of
the reputation of the banking depart
ment of Vermont, and am not willing
that the people OF the State should get
wrong impression as to the attitude
OF the bank commissioner with rela-
ton 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. think II is fully as I'M
portant that the people of the State
should have confidence In the integrity
and independence of the bank commits
sioner as that any particular individ
ual should be elected United States
senator. | realize that the people OF
this State have right to know what
the attitude of the bank commissioner
has been towards any improper or II
legal practices of the banks. but
wish to have II plainly understood
that during my term of Office as banl
commissioner, the money deposited II
the Lamoille County Savings Banl
and Trust company has been safe
and the bank has been solvent, and ~
condition at the present time Is bette
and the bank is stronger than az an,
time during the past six years.
.."Summlng up the charues vhiel