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the week before Christmas, but this tradition was rudely shattered in 

order to perpetrate the Federal Reserve Act on the American people.

The Times buried a brief quote from Congressman Lindbergh that "the 

bill would establish the most gigantic trust on earth," and quoted 

Representative Guernsey of Maine, a Republican on the House 

Banking and Currency Committee, that "This is an inflation bill, the only 

question being the extent of the inflation."

Congressman Lindbergh said on that historic day, to the House:

"This Act establishes the most gigantic trust on earth. When the 

President signs this bill, the 

 

 

 

 

 

invisible government by the Monetary Power 

will be legalized. The people may not know it immediately, but the day 

of reckoning is only a few years removed. The trusts will soon realize

that they have gone too far even for their own good. The people must 

make a declaration of independence to relieve themselves from the 

Monetary Power. This they will be able to do by taking control of 

Congress. Wall Streeters could not cheat us if you Senators and 

Representatives did not make a humbug of Congress. . . . If we had a 

people’s Congress, there would be stability.

The greatest crime of Congress is its currency system. The worst 

legislative crime of the ages is 

 

perpetrated by this banking bill. The 

caucus and the party bosses have again operated and prevented the 

people from getting the benefit of their own government."

The December 23, 1913 New York Times editorially commented, in 

contrast to Congressman Lindbergh’s criticism of the bill, "The Banking 

and Currency Bill became better and sounder every time it was sent