The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1892-01-29

bank ever made better showing in
so short a time, or ever met with a
more liberal support, or was ever
given a more general vote of conf
dence. Our readers can. and should
examine the statement for them
selves. We will mention only two
items, going to show the confidence
the people have reposed in the bank,
and the relief the bank gives back to
the people. The items are these.
They have on hand, due depositors,
1886, 97O.83. And they have relieved
the wants of the people by loaning
out to them SOL ,71I93. That is what
a bank that enjoys the confidence of
the people can do for the people.
While upon this subject we wish to
combat theory some are talking
and no doubt some practicing. Now
and then you hear some man say,
1.-The banks will never get any more
OF my money" Now the man who
persues that policy, if he has much
business to transact, will find it very
|
money to handle, he will find it very
dangerous. All human institutions
are liable to fail, but a mans money
is safer in bank than in his own
hands. 1t is next to impossible for a
man to keep money about his per-
son or about his house, without
somebody finding it out, and when
! that fact becomes known, then nine
| times out Of ten, "thiCves break 10 and
steal" 1t is particularly dangerous
for people in the country 10 have the
reputation of keeping money about
them. The recent failures are the
| first bank failures Columbia or this
county has ever had. In the history
of the county how many men have lost
their money by fire, by thieves or by
accident? How many lives have
been lost by farmers keeping their
money, even small amounts, at home,
aud this becoming known to wicked
men. The safest plan Is to handle all
your money through the banks by
checks.
Another feature of the case is, that
mOney-let the amount be ever
So smaII-when unused, kept at
home, Withdrawn from circulation, is
not fulfilling its mission, and the
owner of that money!, in a moral
sense is doing positive injury to his
commu iity. A man ought not to be
81 wrapped in selfishness that he can
not be reached by this view of the
case.
In discussing the financial cOndi-
ton of affairs, there is another branch
of the subject we would touch. That
is, the duty of every individual to
settle as promptly as he can, his open
accounts. The stringency of money
matters this fall and winter, has
made a great many men timid.
Some men, and not a few we are in
formed, who have money in their
pockets or money In the bank, seem
to hesitate to pay what they owe;
hey want to keep the cash they have
and pay their store account when
they sell something else, or after
somebody else pays them.
That practice is not only wrong in
morals, but bad policy. The reason
somebody does not pay you, is be-
cause you have not paid somebody
you owe. A hundred dollars can pay I
a hundred times that much in debts,
if kept in circulation. 1t is not I
worth any more than an old paper, if
it is not used. The surest and easiest
way to make money scarce and times
hard and bring about financial disas-
ters, is to lock up the money. 1t is
the weapon the Wall Street shark $
Uses when he wishes to strangle |
trade and rob the people.
If you are in a financial strait 6
and cannot pay what you owe, that ,
Is your misfortune; if you can pay
and don't, that is your fault.
There is not perhaps in Columbia I
a merchant who does not stand in ur- c
gent need OF cash; and yet there is
not one of them perhaps who would
not be in easy circumstances if all
his customers tOhO are able, would
settle their January accounts. Men, +
as rule, whose names are found on O
books, are men who are
entitled TO credit. II they are enti- t
led to credit, they can get the money
% pay their debts. Tie banks have
money to loan that is their business;
hat is the way they make their .
more than that it is their L
their policy as welI-to v
meet the demands of the business c
Those who have the c
money therefore ought to settle their Y
promptly; those who hav'nt
L, but have credit, ought to borrow =
rom the banks and pay the mer- =
chants 1t is no worse-not as bad
% owe bank as to owe q past due q
'tore account. Why not owe some l,
one who can afford to carry you and
8 willing to carry you, rather than 3
embarrass friend who has trusted {
you and needs what you owe him?
We are dependent one upon another. Z
Lets all of us make these shifts and !
turns and help each other along.
And when you have paid all your .
other debts call and pay for your v
HERALD. I