The Washington times., 1894-03-18
A Topic or TWO
10 Think Hb0Ut.

Progress In new locality, says Walter Vroo
man in the March Arena, three earnest per.
sons only are required. Three hundred
could make better start, but three may be.
gin with every promise of success. They
should first assume corporate life by adopting
the name of the union. They should then
take up the particular measure being urged
by the national union for the month in which
their meeting is held. If this first meeting is
held during March of this year, the three per-
sons assembled would, no doubt, fall into
line with the cities now organized and urge
the programme Of the union for this month,
which is to combat the sweating system" "
A letter would then be drafted and mailed to
each clergyman and labor leader OF the local
ity, asking them to speak out on specified
Sunday, or during the week following, in
condemnation of this evil. They might be
asked to urge their hearers to aid in securing
such legislation as will empower the city
boards OF health to summarily close those
factories in which human beings are physi-
and where contagious diseases are nursed be-
fore emerging to prey upon society.
In every case definite reply should be re-
quested. A concise photography of the sub
ject. with special reference to recent maga-
zine contributions. should be Inclosed for the
use of clergymen not familiar with the facts
concerning the evil, and for the use of the
committees on resolutions 20 be appointed by
the various societies. The answers to the
letters should be reviewed and detailed re-
port prepared. First. a list should be made
OF the names. addresses and churches OF all
who join in the life-saving work. Another
list should be prepared containing names.
addresses and churches of those who refuse
to speak against the evil being combated
simultaneously throughout the country. Still
another list should be prepared OF those who
refuse even to take notice of the appeal. The
report containing these lists should be pub
lished to the world every month, and one
copy sent to the national secretary. to be filed
for future reference. By this method it will
not take long 10 solve the much-yexed ques-
tion as TO what proportion OF the church is
devoted tohuman welfare and what proper
tion stands directly in the way of progress.
By means of the permanent and centralized
machinery of the Union for Practical Pro-
gress new moral issue will be presented TO
the people each month. Instead of a dissolu-
tion of the movement after one measure has
been pressed. another will be brought i'm
nediately forward. and the public conscience
will be kept as eternally active as the private
interests that prey upon society. The organi-
zation will have sufficient elasticity to take
up any and every measure approved by the
average diSinterested conscience, and its per-
manent and perfect means Of communication.
binding together all human aggregations
founded upon moral idea will offer for the
first time connecting nerve attaching the
and expert knowledge of society
h.. fnr, ~ hat Iaoi
From the Comptroller's report for 1898. said
Mr.. Frank Miller recently before the Cali
fornia Bankers Association. we find that the
deposits in the national banks amount to
about $4,000, coo. 900. For one year their ex-
penses were about Sc, ,000. 900, and their
losses about S20,000.000 For the purpose
solely Of holding these deposits, about one
fourth. $500, ,OOO. 900, was carried in unproduc-
tive cash. The owners OF these $500 ma
tional banks accumulated capital of 81 .000.-
600. 900, pledged it as security to their de-
positors. arranged offices, employed clerks.
incurred an expense OF $50 000. 900 and n
loss of $40. 100000 during the year, in order
~ iNhu @l.oVosbVN.OSO vi ONitE ItOilt
money. The report shows that they got 6per
cent-some $40. 600. .00O-as interest. From
this income should be deducted the outgo of
$50 900 600. and We find that 10000. 600 are
left as the inadequate compensation for the
guaranty and labors and risks undertaken by
the capital of $1,000. 600, 900. This is a COM
mission of one-half of l per cent on the de-
posts. These figures are proven By the re-
port which shows that the net earnings on the
capital have been per cent. This per cent
is composed of 6 per cent (Which the capt.
tai could have earned in private hands) and
the small commission made upon handlingthe
immense mass Of deposits for one year
Expenses and losses cannot be reduced very
greatly: clerks must be retained at such Day
rs will insure competent and honest service:
losses will occur in spite OF all precautions:
all this without reference to whether the times |
are good or bad. Each banker may prove
these ideas from his own books. His outgo |
will approach the sum Of 4 per cent. of his |
average deposits. From his gross income he |
should deduct this outgo. The residue is his |
as a banker. He should then !
compute his income upon his capital, ON the |
that he has gone ont Of the bank
ing business. uses the sidewalk for his office. |
and is known rs n private money lender who |
Iahes no risks- Inc com parsons would be |
if they could be published The |
Eastern banks have given much attention to
this problem. and know that they give ser
vices to depositors which cannot Dc offered |
bv individual money lenders or by any other |
,lass of institutions. They make their depos- /
tors pay indirectly for some OF the costs Of
keeping their accounts and funds. Each ac-
count is expected to show such steady bal
ince as will afford compensation above the
cost of keeping 1t.
The only satisfactory and Just restriction
hat can be placed on immigration. writes Mr..
v. II. jeffrey in the American Journal of
'olitics for March. is to fix moral. physical !
md intellectual standard by which proposed |
immigrants must be rated or refused admis- |
ion to this country. Congress should pass |
N act requiring all persons who desire to |
migrate to the United States to provide them-
elves with certificate of character from the |
hief executive of their city or town, stating
nat the person named in the certificate is of
ood moral character. and the number of
ears he has been a resident OF the city or
,Gn. The law should require that the GER
flcate have three Endorsements: first, by the
1ief OF police. stating that the person named
as not been brought before the courts on any
.lminal charge for n period of not less than
We years. and that no charges are now pend
g against the said person. Second, by the
lief health officer, stating that the person
lmed is in good health, and that no con-
gious diseases have been reported in his
)usehold for period of not less than one
,ar. Third, by the chief officer of the poor,
ating that the person named has not received
,y assistance from the poor authorities for
,riod of not less than five years.
This certificate should be signed by the pro-
,sed immigrant and witnessed by the chief