The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1886-04-03
NUMBER S.


married women may deposit, and
facilities for payment with slight cost
in case of death are intended. De-
posits are available at any depository,
to our migratory people.
ADVANTAGES OF THE SYSTEM.
This system would not interfere
with the savings banks. 1t would
absorb funds not now deposited in
them. The satisfies in England show
that the business of the private banks
has been enlarged and not diminish
ed, since the establishment of the
postal savings banks, The private
savings banks are inadequate for the
needs of the very poor. The banking
hours are inconvenient, or cause the
loss of part of days work. TO the
poss office aissasa..ss "a or send, to bey
stamps, to receive or post letters or
papers, to receive or forward money
to friends. In the South and West,
in all thinly settled communities, in
farming sections, or where the freed
men are numerous, there are no say
ings banks. The money order post
offices, already 1866 in number and
rapidly increasing, may be reached
by all.
Above all, no savings bank can
gain the full confidence of the ignor-
ant or suspicious. The government
alone can give to the toiling millions
of our people the sense of security
which alone can stimulate a desire to
save their earnings. The poor will
restfully believe that every cent
which passes into the treasury will
be paid back to the depostor on de-
mand, and that no fire, no disaster,
no adventurous director, no rascally
cashier or president, no shrinkage Of
values, no error Of management, no
panic nor crisis, will ever deprive
him of one penny of his savings.
The New England states have
about one sayings bank to every ten
thousand persons the other states
scarcely one to every two hundred
thousand persons. Essential as post
Office savings banks are to the rest of
the country, their workings in New
England would show, as clearly as in
Old England, how far private say
ings banks are from satisfying these
varied wants and fears of a denser
population.
The sense eofabsolute security which
the government can give would en-
courage economy and thrift among
our workingmen and women, draw
out the little stores hidden under the
floor, in the chimney wall, in the barn
or field or forest. This sure protec-
tion Of surplus earnings would divert
! them from the Saturday nights de-
| bauch and save them from reckless
desire. In Quebec last summer a dis
tinguished prelate convinced the wri-
ter that the post office savings banks
there contributed not only to the
peace of families, but to the cure of
drunkenness. This is temperance
measure.
1t will promote loyalty and patriot
ism. 1t gives each person a STAKE in
his government who looks to it for
the safe keeping and safe return of
his treasure in his own name, or
in the name of his mother, wife or
child.
1t will prove a peril to socialism,
and in the times of social violence ap-
pend the Herr Mosts to the lamp
posts, rather than good citizens. 1t
will be a bulwarK against panics and
crises, a reserve fund on which the
masses will rely in times of financial
disaster. No debtor can attach, no
tax gatherer levy upon these savings.
1t will lessen poor rates and out pen
sioners, decrease the population of
prisons and almshouses, lessen the
burials in the potters' fields. The fa-
cility and certainty of enjoying its
fruits promotes industry and thereby
this system will multiply the owners
of homes, the best measure of the
greatness and happiness of any
people.
MACHINERY OF THE SYSTEM.
The patronage of the government
would not be sensibIy increased. \
uperintendent,.a IAN assistant, to heap
pointed, thirteen clerks, selected un-
der the civil service rules, three
watchmen and as many laborers, are
all who are added to the civil list by
the writer's bill. This exceeds the
force in the central Office in London
The force now employed at the
money order post Offices of the coun-
try will suffice aud the bonds of post.
masters can readily de increased
The added duties will be gladly as.
, sumed.
} FINANCIAL CONSIDERATIONS,
: If it be urged that no interest ough'