The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1895-09-10
AS CITIZENS.
From the Medical World.

uuuD6E OF congressman CONCERNING Gnt
need for Postal Savings Banks, stating
that practically all the rest of the civ
ilized world has them, and asked TIT
question, "Why should we not havt
them7' W. W. Bowers, San Diego
Cal, incloses his Postal Savings Bill,
which he says has been pending il
Congress for four years, and he writes
The bankers and sharks don't wan
any Postal Savings system. That's the
answer to your why not"
In England these institutions were
established in 1861; in Canada, in 1868
in Austria Hungary, in 1888; and they
have also been established in France,
Belgium, Netherlands, Denmark, Ger
many, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzer,
land, India, Ceylon, Finland, Japan,
Argentina, Australia, New z saland,
Hawaii and Trinidad. But, doctors of
the United States of America, you and
your clients can't have them, because
the bankers don't want them!" Mer-
chants, you can't have them because
the bankers don't want them! Farm
ers, you can't have them because the
bankers don't want them! Mechanics,
you can't have Postal Savings Banks in
which to place securely your savings,
because the bankers say that you must
deposit with their institutions, if any
where. Voters, however much you
desire the benefit these institutions
would be to the masses of the people
and to tbs government, you can't have
them because the private bankers don't
want you to have them. How do you
like it9 What are you going to do
about il? This is a free country-for
the bankers and other privileged
clags-sr{f they think Postal Savings
Banks would be against their personal
intere SIS, they can prevent the people
from having them.
These institutions would place a Saw
ings bank with absolute security within
easy reach of every citizen of this great
country. How it would benefit the
people and you doctor, is 50 apparent
that it need not be explained. Rich men
put their spare money in United States
bonds for safety and interest; poor men
should have the opportunity to place
their sa ,ings into United States banks.
Actors n a very superstitious and
cautious class of people. They don't
like to trust the average savings bank.
I understand that it is their habit, when
they receive their pay on the road, to
go to the nearest money order post
Office and, with the portion of their
salary that they can spare, buy a
money order payable to themselves at
New York. Then when the season is
e (Einding up in New York;, they
collect these money orders whenever
they want money. Thus the Pcstofice
Department is really their banker, and
The money orders r really certificates
of deposit. So you see how near we
have this system already; but the de
position has to pay for making a deposit;
no inter. st is allowed; payment is
made at a different place from the de-
posit and presurable to a different
person. Change these features and the
thing Is done.
a citizen with a bank account is a
better, steadier and more industrious
and sober citizen than one without a
bank account; and if the United States /
is his banker, he is a more patriotic
citizen.
The decision of the Supreme Court
on the income tax has called wide at
tention to the following facts: That our
liberties in self government are limited
to the words of the Constitution and
to the construction thereof that our
Supreme Court happens to make, con !
corning any point brought before it. |
l. il a bulWark behind which wealthy !
AMI privileged classes can hide. This
Is illustrated by the income tax decision
A written constitution has been forci-
bry declared to be the rule OF dead
men; for how could men who have
been dead a century foresee the needs |
of the present day? Yet the Conssi.
ton, and the construction put upon it
is the highest law of the land. We
cannot have an income tax or an inner
itance tax if Jul Supreme Court de-
clares that it is Unconstitutional
The will of the people, however torci
bly, expressed, is thus eubverted bv
IL - =.
Rev. Myron w. R7ed says: The
only thing in which Al drew Carnegie
and Edward Bellamy egree ia that an
inheritance tax ought TO be so per cent.
That would tend to relieve the conges.
ton. England has no trouble with col