The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1920-12-02
BY MARK SULLIVAN
National Political Correspondent
The IntelligenCer and the New

National Political correspondent Oh
The IntelligenCer and the New
York Evening Post
Washington. Dec. There Is one as
pect of present conditions, and eSpeci-
ally of conditions during the recent
campaign, so wholesome and satisfy
ing that it ought not TO become history
without being definitely recorded and
brought to the attention of the largest
number of people.
During the past three months. and
espec tally during the month preceding
tho election, there was Il large amount
of pressure on Secretary Houston Of the
treasury and on the Federal Reserve
board. This pressure came, ana SUN
comes. from a large variety OF indlNld-
udis and organizations. During Septem-
Der and October II came conSplcuouSly
from delegations of farmers. led by
their local politicians. The object WAS
10 press the secretary of the treasury
and the Federal Reserve board into tax
ing some action beneficial TO thus& who
exert pressure.
If it should be said that on some oC-
cosIons this pressure 'took, and still
takes almost the form and Nehcmence
OF an attempt at intimidation. that
phrase would hardly be too strong. An
clectiun.waS pending. the party in power
was Oh trial. and votes could be won
by acquicScence, or lost by refusal
That the secretary of the treasury
and the Federal Reserve board refused
to take any of the rarioG" actions ue-
manded Is II matter OF record mat
the Democratic PARTY, being the larty
in power, suffered by this refusal. Is
lso matter of record. II was not the
largest factor in the election. ana &C
QuirSc"nce by tho treasury would not
have won the election for the Demo
Gratis. But that their refusal TO do
thing which had been specifically /e-
manded by cotton farmers in Tennessee
and wheat and cotton farmers in Okla
honla was large part OF the cause OF
those normally Democratic states going
Republican. Is easily proved. The cleo
ton of 4 Republican senator from Okla
holna is said to have been due directly
10 resentment on the prt of the cotton
raisers.
Whether tho action demanded by
these politicians and farmers was. or
was not. sound finance and whether the
refusal by the secretary of the treas
ury and the Federal Reserve board was
or was not. justified, is not the roint.
Tho point is that secretary of the
treasury. who holds his office by APP
pointment. from the president and
Federal Reserve board. who hold their
offices by appointment from the pres
idcnt. knowingly made the choice and
knew well was hound to lose votes for
the party whose leader had put them in
Office.
, This is so wholesome a thing that It
is good to record II at moment ~hcn
confidence in Government is. being Inn
paired by revelations of scandal In an
other department. II is so wholesome
thing that cynicism. preceding the event.
would have refused 10 believe IT, When
the creation of tho Federal Reserve
Board was under discussion in congress.
one of the chief objections was that the
appointments would always he political,
and That the board would yield in time
Of stress to political pressure.
This episode. in fact. recalls spe-
ciac conversation in which President
Wilson participated at the time when
tho Federal Reserve Board was being
created. This argument--that the board
would become the prey Of politicians and
would yield to political or sectional or
class prcSSurc-was made 10 President
Wilson.
He replied that this was not neces-
sarily 10 be feared. He said that there
are always some offices which can be
kept sacred from nolitical pressure. He
cited within his own experience the
higher courts Of New Jersey. and point
ed out that no matter how low the lsv-
els to which politics in that state sunk
from time to time. the higher courts