The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-04-18

Water
St Louis April 17.-WoOdrow-Wil-
son. former president, in letter last
night denied IA statement printed re-
Gently i'm the Globe Democrat that he
thanked Senator James A. Reed, Dem
ccratic candidate, for nomination and
reelection. for great service which
the senator rendered him fn perfect
ing and passing the Federal Reserve
bill" The statement was issued by
Lee Merriwether. attorney and sup
porter of Reed here.
Accompanying Mr.. Wilson's letter.
the Globe-Democrat prints another
from Senator Reed in which a pur-
ported copy OF the letter from Wilson
to Reed is given. The letter from
the former president follows: .
Il note in your issue of April II eth
that one Lee MerriwetheT is quoted
as sayingthat he had seen letter
from me to Senator Reed, warmly
thanking him for the great service
The senator rendered in perfecting
and passing the Federal Reserve bill.
have no recollection of ever having
written any such letter. On the
contrary | clearly remember that Mr..
Reed as member of the committee
on banking and currency interposed
every possible objection to the COM
rl"tion and adoption of the bill. His
objections indeed. We're so many so
varied and so inconsistent with one
another that recall speaking to him
about them in conversation. Having
spoken of reading a certain parody
on a well known novel, ! told him
that his course in the committee re-
minded me OF the conduct of the hero
in thai parody. who. when rejected
by the heroine. rushed from tho
house mounted several horses and
lushcd off in every direction.
Settlements such as the one quot
ed from Mr. Merriwcther appear to
he intended To create the impression
that Mr. Reed and have held the
same principles and advocated the
81 me policies. and that he is entitled
to and may be assumed to have my \
endorsement as IA candidate for re-
election to the Senate This is far
from h"ing the case. To those who
have closely observed Mr. Reeds ca
rc"r in Washington he has shown him
self incapable of sustained allengiance
to any person or any cause. He has
repeatedly forfeited any claim upon
my confidence that he may ever have
been supposed to have had. and I
shall never willingly consent to any
further association with him.
II beg that you will do me the
courtesy to publish this letter.
Very truly yours.
"WOODROW WILSON"
\ letter and statement given to
Washington representative of the
Globe Democrat by senator Reed in
part says
II did have difference with the
president. entirely gOOd-natured, over
the Federal Reserve bank bill The
kernel of the controversy was that
the president insisted that the bill,
which had originated in and been
passed by the house. should be re-
ported ont of the senate committee
and passed very speedily without be-
ing given an opportunity for hear
ings. ! insisted that hearings should
be granted and they were granted.
As a result of the hearings. the bill
was amended hundreds of times"
Mcrriwether today repeated his
statement that he had seen a copy
Of letter by former president Will
son praising Reeds attitude on the
Federal Reserve bill.
Merriwether also said he had seen
letter from William G. McAdoo. SON
in-law of Wilson. written when Nc
AdoO was secretary of the treasury,
commenting Reeds work on the Fed
eral Reserve bill.
Merriwether's statement follows:
when the league of nations fight
was on in 1919. and while there was
much criticism of Senator Reed in
public prints because of his opposi.
tion to the league pact. asked SEN
atOr Reed what he had to say in reply
to the charge that he was always
knocking the president.
THE senator mentioned several
important measures in which he had
cOoperated with the president one of
the measures being the Federal Re-
serve act.
HE called his secretary. Don Hunt.
and told him to show Merriwether
those letters
"In substantiation of senator Reeds
claim that he had received the appro-
baton of the president for his work
on the Federal Reserve bill Hunt
produced from the senator's files, first
letter from secretary McAdoo in
which McAdoo very warmly COM
mended and thanked senator Reed
for his work he had done in perfect.