The Riggs War, 1913 to 1916

In 1913, President Woodrow Wilson opened the nation’s door to an era of reform. To help him, he brought to Washington men imbued with a progressive spirit—and in some, grudges as well! Before work on reforms got underway, two high ranking officials of the Treasury Department attacked a local bank over its banking practices. The bank officers had close ties to Wall Street; the Treasury officials were no friends of Wall Street (with scars to prove it). Aggressive bank examinations, hostile intervi