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Which commission ideas made it into the 1913 Fed law, and which got dropped?

Research question: Which specific recommendations in the National Monetary Commission's published reports, such as rules on commercial paper, discount eligibility and note issuance, appear in the text of the 1913 Federal Reserve Act, and which were dropped?

The records show the National Monetary Commission published 48 banking reports between 1909 and 1911 6, and its final report in January 1912 included recommendations and the Aldrich Plan draft bill 7. The verified facts do not identify which specific Commission recommendations on commercial paper, discount eligibility, or note issuance were carried into the 1913 Act or dropped, so that comparison cannot be made from them. They do show how the enacted Act treated some related topics: it gave little guidance on discount rates 19, allowed advances to member banks for up to fifteen days on eligible paper 21, and required 40% gold reserves against Federal Reserve notes in circulation 2. A 1913 comparison of the Aldrich Plan with the Glass Bill exists 8, but the facts do not describe its contents.

Checked 2026-10-22. Only documented and supported facts are used.
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Sources

[1] documented
The Federal Reserve Act requires Federal reserve banks to maintain reserves in gold or lawful money of at least 35% against their deposits.
"Every Federal reserve bank shall maintain reserves in gold or lawful money of not less than thirty-five per centum against its deposits"
PDF Public Law No. 43, 63d Congress - FRASER
[2] documented
Federal reserve banks are required to maintain reserves in gold of at least 40% against their Federal reserve notes in actual circulation.
"reserves in gold of not less than forty per centum against its Federal reserve notes in actual circulation"
PDF Public Law No. 43, 63d Congress - FRASER
[3] documented
A Federal reserve bank faces a penalty of a 10% tax on the face value of notes if it pays out notes issued through another Federal reserve bank.
"No Federal reserve bank shall pay out notes issued through another under penalty of a tax of ten per centum upon the face value of notes so paid out."
PDF Public Law No. 43, 63d Congress - FRASER
[4] documented
The Federal Reserve Board is required to ensure each Federal reserve bank maintains a gold deposit in the U.S. Treasury sufficient for redemption, with a minimum of 5%.
"The Federal Reserve Board shall require each Federal reserve bank to maintain on deposit in the Treasury of the United States a sum in gold sufficient m the judgment of the Secretary of the Treasurv for the redemption of the Federal reserve notes issued to such bank, but in no event less than five per centum"
PDF Public Law No. 43, 63d Congress - FRASER
[5] documented
Federal reserve banks are prohibited from purchasing more than $25,000,000 of United States bonds securing circulation in any one year.
"Provided, That Federal reserve banks shall not be permitted to purchase an amount to exceed $25,000,000 of such bonds in any one year"
PDF Public Law No. 43, 63d Congress - FRASER
[6] supported
The National Monetary Commission published a series of 48 reports on banking between 1909 and 1911.
"1909 - 1911 - National Monetary Commission publishes a series of 48 reports on banking"
Federal-Reserve-Act-Legislative-History-1913 - LLSDC
[7] supported
The final report of the National Monetary Commission, released in January 1912, included recommendations and a proposed draft bill known as the Aldrich Plan.
"Jan. 08, 1912 - Final report of National Monetary Commission with recommendations & proposed draft bill, known as the Aldrich Plan, after its Chairman, Nelson Aldrich."
Federal-Reserve-Act-Legislative-History-1913 - LLSDC
[8] supported
Representative S.D. Fess published a comparison of the Aldrich Plan with the Glass Bill in the Congressional Record on September 18, 1913.
"Aldrich Plan Compared with Glass Bill by Rep. S.D. Fess, R-OH, Sep. 18, 1913 - Cong. Rec. A282"
Federal-Reserve-Act-Legislative-History-1913 - LLSDC
[9] supported
V. Gilmore Iden published a history and digest of the Federal Reserve Act of 1913 in 1914.
"Federal Reserve Act of 1913, The: History and Digest by V. Gilmore Iden, 1914"
Federal-Reserve-Act-Legislative-History-1913 - LLSDC
[10] documented
Federal Reserve notes are authorized to be issued only for the purpose of making advances to Federal Reserve banks and serve as obligations of the United States.
"Federal reserve notes, to be issued at the discretion of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System for the purpose of making advances to Federal reserve banks through the Federal reserve agents as hereinafter set forth and for no other purpose, are hereby authorized. The said notes shall be obligations of the United States"
Federal Reserve Board - Section 16. Note Issues
[11] documented
Applications for Federal Reserve notes must be accompanied by collateral equal to the amount of notes requested, which can include notes, drafts, bills of exchange, or acceptances acquired under specific sections of the Act.
"Such application shall be accompanied with a tender to the local Federal Reserve agent of collateral in amount equal to the sum of the Federal Reserve notes thus applied for and issued pursuant to such application. The collateral security thus offered shall be notes, drafts, bills of exchange, or acceptances acquired under section 10A, 10B, 13, or 13A of this Act"
Federal Reserve Board - Section 16. Note Issues
[12] documented
Federal Reserve notes issued to a bank become a first and paramount lien on all the assets of that bank upon delivery.
"Federal Reserve notes issued to any such bank shall, upon delivery, together with such notes of such Federal Reserve bank as may be issued under section 18 of this Act upon security of United States 2 per centum Government bonds, become a first and paramount lien on all the assets of such bank."
Federal Reserve Board - Section 16. Note Issues
[13] documented
Federal Reserve banks may substitute collateral for their notes with the approval of the Federal Reserve agent, provided the new collateral is of equal amount.
"Any Federal reserve bank may at its discretion withdraw collateral deposited with the local Federal reserve agent for the protection of its Federal reserve notes issued to it and shall at the same time substitute therefor other collateral of equal amount with the approval of the Federal reserve agent under regulations to be prescribed by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System."
Federal Reserve Board - Section 16. Note Issues
[14] supported
A 1916 amendment allowed Federal Reserve banks to make advances to member banks on their promissory notes for up to fifteen days, secured by eligible paper or Government securities.
"Accordingly, on September 7, 1916, an amendment to the Reserve Act was passed according to which such advances were to be permitted in cases where the member bank's note was limited to fifteen days' maturity and in cases where the collateral consisted either of the kind of paper eligible for rediscount or of Government securities."
The development of federal reserve policy., page 376
[15] supported
A note of a finance or credit company used to finance an industrial or commercial concern is ineligible for rediscount, even if it is secured by otherwise eligible paper.
"is not ehgible for rediscount, even though it may be secured by paper which is itself eligible for rediscount."
Commercial banking practice under the Federal Reserve Act, page 200
[16] supported
The Federal Reserve Act specified only that between eight and twelve Reserve Banks were to be established, with their number and locations set by an organizing committee.
"The FederalReserve Actspecified onlythatbetweeneightandtwelveReserve Banksweretobe established, withtheirnumberandlocations determinedby anorganizing committee."
National Monetary Policy by Regional Design: The Evolving Role of the Federal Reserve Banks in Federal Reserve System Policy (1998)
[17] supported
The Federal Reserve Board proposed letting reserve banks issue Federal Reserve notes directly against gold deposited with the Federal Reserve agents, but Congress rejected this proposal, along with a proposal to make Federal Reserve notes legal reserve money for member banks.
"It proposed an amendment which would permit reserve banks to issue Federal Reserve notes directly against the deposit of gold with the Federal Reserve agents. This suggestion was rejected by Congress together with another proposal that the Federal Reserve notes should be made legal reserve money for member banks."
The development of federal reserve policy., page 376
[18] supported
Eligibility of paper such as a cotton factor's note is decided by the use to which the proceeds of that particular note are put, not by the borrower's occupation.
"The mere fact that a borrower on a given note is a cotton factor does not of itself render that note ineligible since its eligibility is a matter to be determined by the use to which the proceeds of that particular note are put."
Commercial banking practice under the Federal Reserve Act, page 200
[19] supported
The Federal Reserve Act gave little guidance on how discount rates were to be determined, stating only that each Reserve Bank could set rates subject to review by the Federal Reserve Board.
"The FederalReserve Act,however, provided little guidance on how the rate was tobedetermined, statingonly that eachReserve Bankis authorized"
National Monetary Policy by Regional Design: The Evolving Role of the Federal Reserve Banks in Federal Reserve System Policy (1998)
[20] supported
The 1916 amendments gave the Federal Reserve Board power, by a vote of at least five members, to permit member banks by general ruling covering all districts alike.
"Upon the affirmative vote of not less than five of its members the Federal Reserve Board shall have power, from time to time, by general ruling covering all districts alike, to permit member"
The development of federal reserve policy., page 376
[21] supported
Section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act lets Federal reserve banks advance to member banks on their promissory notes for up to fifteen days, secured by eligible paper, United States obligations, or similar collateral.
"to its member banks on their promissory notes for a period not exceeding fifteen"
Commercial banking practice under the Federal Reserve Act, page 200
[22] supported
Under the Act, a member bank could rediscount short-term commercial loans with its Federal Reserve Bank to obtain additional reserve deposits or Federal Reserve notes.
"bankcould re-discountshort-termcommercialloans withtheirFederalReserveBank, and"
National Monetary Policy by Regional Design: The Evolving Role of the Federal Reserve Banks in Federal Reserve System Policy (1998)
[23] supported
The Federal Reserve Board had no legal power to interfere with the reserve banks' directors in deciding whether to discount eligible paper offered to them.
"The Federal Reserve Board has no power to interfere with the discretion given or the responsibility imposed by law upon the directors of a Federal Reserve Bank with respect to passing upon the merits of eligible paper oflered for discount."
The development of federal reserve policy., page 376
[24] supported
A Federal reserve bank has no authority to rediscount for a member bank where paper of the same maker or indorser exceeds ten per cent of the member bank's unimpaired capital and surplus.
"amounts to a total of more than ten per cent, of the unimpaired capital and surplus of that bank"
Commercial banking practice under the Federal Reserve Act, page 200