Federal Banks and Federal Jurisdiction in the Progressive Era: A Case Study of Smith v. K.C. Title & Trust Co.

The article discusses the U.S Supreme Court's decision in Smith v. Kansas City Title & Trust Co. in which a stockholder in the company Charles E. Smith filed a bill in equity in the U. S District Court for the Western District of Missouri. It discusses the conditions that gave rise to the federal government's decision to establish federally chartered banks to foster rural credit and the politics surrounding the 1916 Act. Other topics include federal Land Banks and Joint Stock Banks.