Woodrow Wilson as I Know HimTumulty, Joseph P. (Joseph Patrick)
History
Woodrow Wilson as I Know Him
Tumulty, Joseph P. (Joseph Patrick)
Presidents -- United States -- Biography; Wilson, Woodrow, 1856-1924
During this time I gladly accepted the President's invitation to spend the
summer with him at the White House, where I occupied the bedroom that had
been used as Mr. Lincoln's Cabinet Room, and where Mr. Lincoln had signed
his famous Emancipation Proclamation. My presence, during that summer, as
a member of the President's family, gave me a good opportunity to see him
in action in his conferences in regard to the Federal Reserve Act. Never
was greater patience, forbearance, or fortitude, shown by a chief
executive under such trying circumstances. Day after day, when it seemed
as if real progress was being made, unexpected opposition would develop
and make it necessary to rebuild our shattered lines, until finally the
bill was out of the House and on its way to the Senate.
Its arrival in the Senate was but the beginning of what appeared an almost
interminable struggle. The President's stalwart adviser in the Treasury,
Mr. McAdoo, was always at hand to rally and give encouragement to our
forces, many of whom at times were in despair over the prospects of the
bill. The leaders of the opposition on the committee were Senator Root on
the Republican side and Senators O'Gorman and Reed on the Democratic.
It seemed at times as if they had succeeded in blocking an agreement on
the Conference Report. At last word was brought to the President by
Representative Glass that the opposition of these gentlemen might succeed
in killing the bill. The President up to this time, although fighting
against great odds, showed no impatience or petulancy, but the message
brought by Mr. Glass was the last straw. Looking at Mr. Glass, with a show
of fire and in a voice that indicated the impatience he felt, the
President said: "Glass, have you got the votes in the committee to
override these gentlemen [meaning O'Gorman and Reed]?" Glass replied that
he had. "Then," said the President, "outvote them, damn them, outvote
them!"
Mr. McAdoo came to the White House a few days later to make a report about
the situation in the Senate, with reference to the Federal Reserve Act.
His report was most discouraging as to the final passage of the bill. He
said that his information from the Hill was that the leaders of the
opposition in the Senate were bent upon a filibuster and that the
probabilities were that the Senate would finally adjourn without any
action being taken on the Federal Reserve Act.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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