Tom Watson's Magazine, Vol. I, No. 3, May 1905Various
History
Tom Watson's Magazine, Vol. I, No. 3, May 1905
Various
United States -- Politics and government -- Periodicals
4. Pressure must be brought upon the people, especially in
sections of the country where the free silver sentiment was
strong. Circulation to be reduced, loans called in, credit
refused and general distrust spread broadcast through the
land.
5. Demand for an extra session of Congress to repeal the
purchasing clause of the Sherman law.
This was the program laid down by the Bulletin. Did it agree with the
action of the National Bankers? We shall see.
On the 11th of April, 1893, Grover Cleveland appointed Conrad C. Jordan
to be Assistant Treasurer of the United States.
In this capacity Jordan had control of the Sub-Treasury at New York.
The Sub-Treasury is the great business establishment of the Federal
Government. It is one of the associated banks of New York City.
Jordan was a banker, the President of the Western National, of New York
City, and was recommended for the position by the New York National Bank
Presidents. He was the go-between—the link which connected the National
Bankers with Cleveland and the Federal Government.
His nomination was confirmed on the 15th day of April, and on the 20th he
was in Washington with his bond and conferring with Cleveland.
From that hour things moved with wonderful rapidity.
Jordan left Washington on the 21st, arrived in New York at 5.30 in the
afternoon, went directly to the Chase National Bank, No. 15 Nassau
Street, where he met Henry W. Cannon, President of the Chase National
Bank, and J. Edward Simmons, President of the Fourth National, two of the
most active and influential of those who controlled the associated banks
and who constitute the “New York National Bank Ring.”
It must have been an important meeting, for that night Cannon left New
York for Washington on a midnight train, arriving in Washington Saturday
morning, April 22, and while there had interviews with Grover Cleveland.
On the morning of April 22 Jordan was sworn into office, and his first
act, official or semi-official, was to arrange for a meeting with certain
National Bank Presidents in the afternoon.
I can give you the names of most of the National Bank Presidents who
met Jordan that afternoon. The meeting was said to be informal, and its
proceedings were carefully guarded. But it was of such importance that
Jordan went to Washington on a late evening train to make a report of its
proceedings.
It was generally believed at the time, and there is little doubt of its
truth, that Jordan was simply given the office to mask his character as
confidential agent between Grover Cleveland and the New York National
Bank Presidents.
After a conference with Cleveland on Sunday morning, April 23, Jordan and
Cannon returned to New York, arriving there late in the evening. Before
leaving Washington Jordan wired certain National Bank Presidents to meet
him at a private house uptown.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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