Money Colony: Who Got to Create Money, and How the Rules Changed
The Senate adopted the currency conference report on December 23, 1913, by a vote of 43 to 25 20. An earlier version of the bill had passed the Senate by 54 votes to 34, a higher turnout than the final vote 25. The available record does not name the absent or paired senators 20.

In short
This evidence covers the United States story from the December 22, 1913 vote on the conference report for H.R. 7837, which set the short title "Federal Reserve Act" 14. Under the amended bill, railroad bonds could serve as the basis for emergency currency issue, a provision the speaker called indefensible because such bonds were often issued in excess of the physical value of the roads 2. Under the amended Federal Reserve Act, country banks had to hold 7 percent of demand deposits as reserves, the lowest of the three tiers; this source describes those tiers as they stood at the time of the amendment, not during the 1930s 65. After the gold window closed, the dollar fell on currency markets 34. One source says commercial banks can increase the money supply by creating money through lending, and that it is reduced when loans are repaid 26, while a cited economist notes that today there is hardly any visible connection between the central bank money base and the money supply 33. After the close of regular trading, an exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P 500 rose 44.
A fight over a central bank, 1908–1912
The Nebraska Democratic platform, written by William J. Bryan, opposed the Fowler bill along with the Aldrich bill and called for emergency currency issued and controlled by the federal government 71. In 1912 the Progressive Party platform opposed the so-called Aldrich currency bill, arguing that its provisions would place the nation's currency and credit system in private hands 74. The 1912 Democratic platform explicitly opposed the Aldrich bill and the establishment of a central bank 75, and the party's victory in that election ended any chance the Aldrich bill would be reconsidered in the 63rd Congress 79.
The evidence does not show how the 1898 Monetary Commission bills catalogued by E. J. Hill influenced the 1913 Act 1.
The December 1913 votes
The Senate passed the currency bill by a vote of 54 to 34 18. On December 22, 1913, the House voted on the conference report for H.R. 7837, which set the short title as the "Federal Reserve Act" 14. Carter Glass, a Democrat from Virginia, sponsored that vote 15.
On December 23 the Senate adopted the conference report by 43 to 25 2024. Every Democratic senator present and voting, including Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska, was recorded in favor, and six Republicans plus Progressive Senator Poindexter also voted yes 2123. Almost 30 senators had left for Christmas vacation, which likely explains the lower turnout on the final vote 22.
The act as passed said only that between eight and twelve Reserve Banks were to be established, with their number and locations set by an organizing committee 50.
Rules for discounting, 1916–1921
Section 13 of the Federal Reserve Act let 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 55. The Federal Reserve Board also 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 51.
The 1916 amendments added a power that the Board could use with a vote of at least five members, permitting member banks by general ruling covering all districts alike 54. A reserve bank could not rediscount for a member bank when paper of the same maker or indorser exceeded ten per cent of the member bank's unimpaired capital and surplus 58. By 1921 the Board had no legal power to interfere with reserve bank directors deciding whether to discount eligible paper offered to them 57.
Reserve requirements in the 1930s
Under the amended Federal Reserve Act, country banks had to hold 7 percent of demand deposits as reserves, the lowest of the three tiers 65. Reserve city banks had to hold 10 percent of demand deposits as reserves under the amended requirements 67, and central reserve city banks, the highest tier, had to hold 13 percent 69. These tiers describe the requirements as they stood at the time of the amendment 65.
In June 1936 country banks held 29 percent of the total assets of Fed member banks, far smaller on average than the central reserve and reserve city banks in New York and Chicago 64. Between June 1936 and June 1937, country banks' reserve deposits rose 35 percent, or $350 million, compared with 31 percent for New York's central reserve city banks 66. Over the same year country banks raised their government securities holdings by $350 million and their loans by $305 million, even as their reserve-to-asset ratios stayed essentially flat 68. Simulations suggest the overall rise in reserve demand was driven by a subset of city banks 70.
Bank runs also changed. After the FDIC was created in 1933, there were almost no bank runs, which Wilcox cites as a reason bankers would not need massive excess reserves against runs after 1934 72. Falling interest rates can account for 80 percent of the movement of excess reserves during the Great Depression 73.
The 1971 gold window
The break with gold had been prepared for in secret. Volcker and others at the Treasury had secretly been preparing contingency plans for removing gold convertibility since the spring of 1971 12. The August 13 Cabinet Room meeting listed the President's August 15 speech as a discussion topic, but the tape log gives no reasons for choosing that date 65. Agenda items included the convertibility of the dollar and questions about the price of gold 9.
After the gold window closed, the dollar fell on currency markets 34. Discussion of the August 15, 1971 action covered its effects, including the New Economic Policy 8.
Where things stand now
Modern researchers have tested whether central bank reserves translate into loans. A 2015 study using Federal Reserve QE programs found that bank-level reserve creation causes higher total loan growth and increased risk-taking 16. A 2014 paper on the first round of Bank of England QE purchases in 2009 and 2010 suggested that they may have produced a small but statistically significant increase in bank lending growth 17. Selgin (2017) explains that banks convert excess reserves into required reserves by creating loans, which leaves total reserves unchanged 27. Bernanke and Kohn (2016) argued that bank lending rose alongside banks' reserve holdings after the financial crisis, as evidence that reserves are held in addition to other assets 29, and Keister (2016) similarly argues that reserves are generally held in addition to banks' other assets rather than substituting for them 31. One article argues that minimum reserve ratios in developed economies are typically so low that they do not limit money creation by commercial banks, citing the eurozone ratio as 1% 60. A separate document says that the Bank of England, along with the central banks of Australia, Canada and Sweden, currently imposes no minimum reserve requirement 61. Yet a cited economist notes that today there is hardly any visible connection between the central bank money base and the money supply 33, and the monetary base does not have a fixed ratio to the broader money aggregates M1 to M3 28.
A cited economist notes that today there is hardly any visible connection between the central bank money base and the money supply 33. Separately, an exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P 500 rose after the close of regular trading 44, and Wall Street's artificial intelligence trade regained traction, with stocks rising in late hours after solid results bolstered confidence in the trade that has powered the bull market 46. The market items say nothing about money creation, so the cited material does not on its own describe how money is created today.
Still unknown
The evidence has no Mesopotamian, Egyptian or other ancient records, so whether money began as barter, debt or temple accounting remains an open question here.
The August 1971 logs list the speech but do not explain why August 15 was chosen or what economic data and political pressures drove the choice.
Central bank explainers and academic studies point in different directions on whether reserves limit loans, and this evidence does not settle which account is right.
The internet-economy and digital-payment lanes are thin: no checked platform take-rate, advertising-revenue, stablecoin-reserve or regulatory evidence appears in this set, so how online platforms create and capture money is still unanswered.
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Sources
"and Monetary Commission bills for reform of currency; by E. J. Hill. 1898."Checklist of United States Public Documents 1789-1909: Congressional: to ..., page 1753
"Under this feature of the bill, rail railroad - road railroad bonds can be used as the basis for currency issue, which, to my mind, is absolutely indefensible"Image 7 of St. Landry clarion (Opelousas, La.), August 15, 1908
"When the bill finallX passed the house and senate, it was so amended that any kind of security held by the banks was made the basis for an emergency currency, provided such security should first"Image 7 of St. Landry clarion (Opelousas, La.), August 15, 1908
"Since I attended the meeting of the commission, I have changed my view, and I now believe that it is the sincere purpose of all of the mem members - bers members of the commission, after a careful examination of the financial and banking systems of the old world"Image 7 of St. Landry clarion (Opelousas, La.), August 15, 1908
"The President’s August 15, 1971 economic announcement"NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 2/24) 1
"President’s speech, August 15, 1971"Cabinet Room #69: August 13-16, 1971 [Tape Subject Log]
"The President's day began at Camp David, Maryland"August 15, 1971
"Effect of August 15, 1971 action"NIXON PRESIDENTIAL MATERIALS STAFF Tape Subject Log (rev. 2/24) 1
"-Convertibility of Dollar"Cabinet Room #69: August 13-16, 1971 [Tape Subject Log]
"A Guest book signed by current visitors (primarily Presidential economic advisors) currently at Camp David for a meeting."August 15, 1971
"President Nixon preparing to deliver a televised address on the economy and economic reforms from the Oval Office."August 15, 1971
"spring of 1971 secretly been preparing contingency plans for removing gold convertibility."One nation under gold, page 410
"On a Sunday night in August 1971, with"One nation under gold, page 410
"TO AGREE TO CONFERENCE REPORT #163 ON H. R. 7837, WHICH PROVIDES THAT THE HOUSE RECEDE FROM ITS DISAGREEMENT TO THE SENATE AMENDMENT AND AGREE TO THE SAME WITH AN AMENDMENT THAT THE SHORT TITLE OF THIS ACT SHALL BE THE "FEDERAL RESERVE ACT.""Voteview
"Sponsor: GLASS, Carter (D-VA)"Voteview
"Consistent with the theory, we document that reserve creation leads to higher total loan growth and increased risk taking."Quantitative Easing and Bank Risk Taking: Evidence from Lending (2015)
"Based on the historical bank-level relationship between deposits and bank lending, our analysis suggests that the first round of the Bank’s QE purchases during 2009-10 may have led to a small but statistically significant increase in bank lending growth."Quantitative Easing and Bank Lending: A Panel Data Approach (2014)
"passed the senate last night by a vote of 54 to 34."Image 1 of The Hattiesburg news (Hattiesburg, Miss.), December 20, 1913
"ROLL GALL RESULTS 54 TO 34"Image 1 of The Wibaux pioneer (Wibaux, Mont.), December 26, 1913
"adopted the currency conference report by a vote of 43 to 25."Image 1 of The Chickasha daily express (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]), December 23, 1913
"Every Democratic senator present and vot-j Ins, including Senator Hitchcock ot Nebraska, was recorded in favor of the bill."Image 1 of The Wibaux pioneer (Wibaux, Mont.), December 26, 1913
"but almost 30 senators had left for Christmas vacation by the time the final bill came to a vote."History of the Federal Reserve System
"Six Republicans voted for it"Image 1 of The Wibaux pioneer (Wibaux, Mont.), December 26, 1913
"passed the Senate the next day by a vote of 43 to 25."History of the Federal Reserve System
"An earlier version of the bill had passed the Senate 54 to 34"History of the Federal Reserve System
"Geldmengen können durch Geldschöpfung im Rahmen der Kreditvergabe durch Geschäftsbanken erhöht und durch die Tilgung von Krediten gesenkt werden."
"As Selgin (2017, pp.18-20) explains, banks convert their excess reserves into required reserves by creating loans, which increases required reserves and decreases excess reserves, even though the total quantity of reserves remains unchanged."Bank Lending and Interest on Excess Reserves (2018)
"Auch steht die Geldbasis in keinem festen Verhältnis zu den Mengen M1 bis M3."
"As evidence for this proposition, Bernanke and Kohn (2016) point out that while banks’ reserve holdings have increased since the financial crisis, bank lending has increased as well."Bank Lending and Interest on Excess Reserves (2018)
"M0 ist bis auf den Bargeldanteil bei Nichtbanken nicht Teilmenge von M1 bis M3, da Zentralbankreserven nur zwischen Geschäftsbanken als Zahlungsmittel dienen."
"Keister (2016, p.5 emphasis in original), for example, argues that “reserves are, in general, held in addition to banks other assets.”"Bank Lending and Interest on Excess Reserves (2018)
"M0 : Bargeldumlauf plus Guthaben der Kreditinstitute bei der Fed;"
"heute kaum mehr Zusammenhang sichtbar"
"The dollar fell on currency markets"HISTORY OF CENTRAL BANKING IN GREAT BRITAIN AND THE UNITED STATES., page 466
"That an oversold market should rise sharply does not indicate anything regarding crop prospects."Image 11 of Weekly union (Manchester, N.H.), July 24, 1901
"Closing quo- S tations today showed general losses"Image 5 of The Daily Missoulian (Missoula, Mont.), March 6, 1914, (Morning)
"Wall street felt good today and that without material change in the crop or strike situation, Blue Monday was followed by pink Tuesday."Image 11 of Weekly union (Manchester, N.H.), July 24, 1901
"Copper shares were heavy on less favorable trade reports."Image 5 of The Daily Missoulian (Missoula, Mont.), March 6, 1914, (Morning)
"Corn had a heavy fall, and wheat made concessions in price,"Image 11 of Weekly union (Manchester, N.H.), July 24, 1901
"was practically over in less than half an hour and then there were some quick recoveries."Image 9 of The Anaconda standard (Anaconda, Mont.), February 25, 1898, (Morning)
"Total sales, par value, $2,685,000."Image 5 of The Daily Missoulian (Missoula, Mont.), March 6, 1914, (Morning)
"its total purchases being esti estimated - mated estimated at 40,000 shares, or 100,000 shares in two days."Image 9 of The Anaconda standard (Anaconda, Mont.), February 25, 1898, (Morning)
"The stock markets here were dull to-day, be being - ing being depressed by New York and Paris."Image 9 of The Anaconda standard (Anaconda, Mont.), February 25, 1898, (Morning)
"An exchange-traded fund tracking the S&P 500 rose after the close of regular trading."Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for October 21 - Bloomberg
"The sensational fall in stocks to-day unquestionably had con considerable - siderable considerable influence on wheat"Image 9 of The Anaconda standard (Anaconda, Mont.), February 25, 1898, (Morning)
"Wall Street’s wagers on artificial intelligence regained traction, with stocks rising in late hours as solid results bolstered confidence in the trade that has powered the bull market."Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for October 21 - Bloomberg
"Tesla Inc. ’s profit beat estimates, assuaging worries about increased investments into new areas such as AI."Stock Market Today: Dow, S&P Live Updates for October 21 - Bloomberg
"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
"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
"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)
"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
"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
"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)
"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
"to its member banks on their promissory notes for a period not exceeding fifteen"Commercial banking practice under the Federal Reserve Act, page 200
"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)
"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
"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
"Die irreführende, aber weit verbreitete Vorstellung eines Geldschöpfungsmultiplikators , der besagt, dass aus Zentralbankgeld ein Vielfaches an Giralgeld geschöpft werden könne, wurde zwar von Zentralbanken in verschiedenen Publikationen hinreichend widerlegt"Mindestreserve
"dass sie keine begrenzende Wirkung auf die Geldschöpfung durch Geschäftsbanken haben."
"Zentralbanken einiger Länder, wie Australien, Kanada, Großbritannien oder Schweden, fordern zurzeit keine Mindestreserve."Mindestreserve
"Sie ermöglicht es der Monetären Autorität, die Geschäftsbanken bei ihrer Kreditverteilung von ihren eigenen Krediten bei der Monetären Autorität abhängig zu machen"
"had not exercised was limited to central reserve city banks. Requirements against demand deposits of these"Monetary, credit, and fiscal policies ; A compendium of materials on monetary, credit, and fiscal policies, page 530
"Country banks accounted for 29 percent of the total assets of Fed member banks in June 1936."Did Doubling Reserve Requirements Cause the Recession of 1937-1938? A Microeconomic Approach (2011)
"For country banks 7 per cent. of demand deposits and 3 per cent. of time deposits."AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION, page 948
"The reserve deposits of country banks with the Fed rose 35 percent ($350 million) between June 1936 and June 1937, compared with a 31 percent increase for New York’s central reserve city banks."Did Doubling Reserve Requirements Cause the Recession of 1937-1938? A Microeconomic Approach (2011)
"For Reserve city banks 10 per cent. of demand deposits and 3 per cent. of time deposits."AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION, page 948
"Moreover, country banks increased their holdings of government securities by $350 million and their loans by $305 million"Did Doubling Reserve Requirements Cause the Recession of 1937-1938? A Microeconomic Approach (2011)
"For Central Reserve city banks 13 per cent. of demand deposits and 3 per cent. of time deposits."AMERICAN BANKERS ASSOCIATION, page 948
"As our simulations show, country banks’ reserve demands remained flat because the fundamental determinants of their reserve demands did not prompt them to increase their reserves."Did Doubling Reserve Requirements Cause the Recession of 1937-1938? A Microeconomic Approach (2011)
"We oppose the Aldrich bill and the Fowlerbill, and believe that, in insofar - sofar insofar as the needs of commerce re require - quire require an emergency currency, such currency should be issued and con controlled - trolled controlled by the federal government"Image 2 of The Roswell daily record (Roswell, N.M.), March 7, 1908
"After the creation of the FDIC, there were almost no bank runs."Excess Reserves in the Great Depression (1984)
"The fall in interest rates can account for 80 percent of the movement of excess reserves during the Great Depression."Excess Reserves in the Great Depression (1984)
"We are opposed to the so-called Aldrich currency bill, because its provisions would place our currency and credit system in private hands, not subject"The Progressive Party and Democratic-Corporatism: The 1912 Progressive Party Platform
"We oppose the so-called Aldrich bill or the establishment of a central bank,"NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES
"We oppose the so-called Aldrich bill or the establishment of a central bank,"Theodore Roosevelt, the Election of 1912, and the Founding of the Federal Reserve (2024)
"while calling for a “systematic revision of our banking laws”"NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES
"while calling for a “systematic revision of our banking laws”"Theodore Roosevelt, the Election of 1912, and the Founding of the Federal Reserve (2024)
"As the Democratic platform rejected the idea of a central bank generally and the Aldrich Plan specifically, the Democratic Party sweep in the 1912 election eliminated any chance of the Aldrich bill being reconsidered in the 63rd Congress."NBER WORKING PAPER SERIES
"As the Democratic platform rejected the idea of a central bank generally and the Aldrich Plan specifically, the Democratic Party sweep in the 1912 election eliminated any chance of the Aldrich bill being reconsidered in the 63rd Congress."Theodore Roosevelt, the Election of 1912, and the Founding of the Federal Reserve (2024)
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