New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-09
SATURDAY HOLIDAYS.
A CANVASS OF OPINIONS OF BANKERS.
A WHOLE DAY FOR The HEATED MONTHS PRE-

FERRED TO HALF DAY THE YEAR ROUND.
(FRoM THE REGULAR coRREsroNpENr OF THE TRiBUNE.l
ALBANY, April s.-Assemblyman Rhodes lives at Ma
maroneck In Westchester County, and represents the
Assembly district surrounding that village, but his
business life IS spent in NcwYork City, where he Is
the head OF the firm OF Bradford Rhodes & Co., who
publish Ihodes's Journal OF Bandng.' Through his
connection with the bankers magazine MI Rhodes
has become acquainted with the presidents OF nearly
all the National State and savings banks In the State,
well those OF trust companies and other hnancai
corporations. few days ago Mr.. Rhodes sent cir
cuar letter TO these bank and trust company presden
informing them OF the nature OF the bills before tho
Legislature in relation to the Half Holiday law, and
asking them to telegraph to write him stating their
preference among the bills In fact, the bills In re-
gard to the fHoday law have dwindled to two
One introduced by Senator Walker provides for half
holiday Saturdays, but only during the months OF
June, July. August and September This bill has been
passed in the Senate and is now the order OF thrd
reading in the Assembly. The other bill, which was
introduced by Assembyman Rhodes, originally pro-
vided for whole holidays on Saturdays during tho
months Of June. July and August, aboshing the half
holidays for the remainder Of the year. But the AS
scmbly amended this bill to abolish the Half
Holiday law altogether, leaving no holidays except
those four or FIVE, Fourth OF July, NewYesr's Day,
and the like, which have existed for years This Dill
the Assembly ordered to third reading MI Rhodes,
in his circular letter to the bankers made this request
" State which you prefer-a whole SATURDAY hoiluay
for the hot months, June, July and August, or half
holiday in tho months Of June, July, August and Sep
tember"
Mr. Rhodes has received a large number OF answers
to his letter Yesterday his desk IN the Assembly
Chamber where he sat at work was heaped high with
letters and kilograms. Out OF 1870 letters and ele-
grams have received" he said to HE TRIBUNE CORE
spondent, 1O7 OF the men who send them favor a
whole holiday in june July and August. They clearly
think that the halfhOlldoy proposed for the summer
months would bo useless and nuisance and since it
Is impossible 20 repeal the Half Holiday law wholly
that 1t would be better TO have whole holiday In tho
summer months" Later In tho day after this state
ment he received about seventy five additional letters.
Tho sentiment of the writers WIS almost unanimously
in favor Of having whole Saturday holidays during tho
months Of June, July and August. 1t was plain from
tho letters and the kilograms that the bankers would
repeal tho HalfHollday law Il they could but that
seeing this could not 6e accomplished 1t tlelr
opinion that Tho law should DO amended so as to pro-
vide whole Saturday holidays during tho summer
months and aboshing the half holidays for the other
months Of the year.
Frederick p Olcott, former state Controller and
president of the Central Trust Company Of New
York, In a telegram to MIR. Rhodes, says 1--WE be-
love in the doctrine, six days shalt thou labor II
cannot have that, would prefer whole holiday
In June, July and August" John Thompson, vice.
president OF the Chase National Bank of New-Yorli,
and the oldest bank officer in that city, tecgraphs:
The whole of Saturday for three months" W. 7.
Cornell, cashier Of the Lincoln Bank Of Ncw-York,
telographs: "A whole Saturday holiday for the hot
months J. Trowbridgo cashier Of the Bank Of
North America of New.York, has mixed feeling on
the subject 1--WE prefer whole holidays Saturday
in July and August; want no halfholiday." SINH
lsry worded dispatches como from the Mount Morris
Bank, VI New-YOrk, from tho Chautauqua County
National Bank, of jamestown. from Armour Brothers
Company, the noted meat packers and from many
Others. Hagarten Company, the bankers, of New
York. say in their dispatch ave decidedly favor a
whole Saturday holiday for July and August half
holidays are nuisance for everybody" J, II. Neher
cashier Of the United National hank. Of Troy, tcle
graphs: :" We prefer whole Saturday holiday dur
ing the hot months. The half day is worse than
nothing Similar dispatches come from the
GnGn Bank OF Rochester, from CaRe BanM OF
from eX-COneressman E. Kirk Hart, OF the Orleans
eshy Of be a on S d and
others. Expressions OF dislike of the halfholdsy law
Es II ned & Of 9 @ pSr
whole Saturday holiday for the summer months IT
would be better stu IL there saturday holidays
Bank Of Amsterdam writes Prmus: would decidedly
prefer repeal OF Half Holiday bill Secundus OF Other
propositions would prefer whole Saturday holiday for
a ao[ m r1 & cSu " css P Of bs
National Bank of Vernon, says: THE only proper
Better uniform custom for THE year than one law
for four months and another for eight months Ana
whole day for three months give the latter, the
day win be spoiled anyway aud three months is better
than four"
The savings bank presidents and treasurers en-
phatc in their opinion. Theodore Townsend, treasurer
in the state writes beg TO STA thar the bill making
all OF SATURDAY holiday during three summer months
president OF the Citizens savings Bank, Of NewYor
writes: would suggest that, If possible. the half
holidays be cut down to the months OF June, July,
August and september Tho whole holiday for three
months would. in my opinion be very detrimental TO
the business Interests OF he country and especially 10
this city J. II Ba6cock. president Of the Farmers
and Mechanics savings Bank of LOcKpOrt, says our
bank would not favor the plan for whole Saturday
holiday for three months deemins that greater evil
than the half holiday for four months. The law Of
last year should be totally repealed"
Tie Bankers Association OF l. Inao, which numbers
all the banks OF that city In its membership appointed
committee to consider The subject, and they made
entirely opposed to any part OF saturday being made
holiday, but II II must be, we prefer half holidays IN
forc with the lake and cana interests by causing Dc
tention of vessels and boats many times from Friday
until the next Monday, on account Of inability to pro.
cure money to pay hands and provide for the trip We
can only repeat as before that any holiday legislation
regarding Saturdays VIII result in injury 10 many and
Some of the New-York banks express the hope that
June win be taken out OF the months whcn there is
half holiday or a whole holiday Thus Charles Jen-
ns president of the East River National Bank writes:
Our bank would prefer Whole honaay on sa9faays
out, for it IS a settling time Corporations are pro
pairing for dividends merchants are getting up hall
yearly accounts and taking stock and generally the
president of the Nineteenth Ward Bank says: don't
believe our business during the month Of June can be
five days per week We believe II would ne wiser 10
confne the holidays 20 the months OF July and August
National BANK Of New.Yorh, writes: We believe in
a whole holiday in July and August. business is too
Mr. Rhodes viii abuaie the result OF his careful
inquiry the sentiment Of the bankers and Wal
then submit the statement to the Assembly.