The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-26
MIR, BRANCH ON FINANCE
THE RICK HOND BINhER RETURNS
FRON 4 THREE MONTHS TRfP.
A Times Reporter Interviews Him and
Gathers Some Interesting Facts I>"ut
Finance in Germany-Good Roads.

Last evening Times reporter calItu on
Mr.. John Z. Branch. the Richmond bank
err. al his residence, No. / west Franklin
street, ana was courtoousiy received py
him.
ln reply to a question. Mr.. Branch said:
Yes. / have had quite "A nice tIp
abroad. iI iact. have been away from
homo three months. ] spent I.ost OF the
time lU Germany. I was much impressed
with the evident prosperity of the German
Empire. IL has made wonderful strides
| forward, and has Increased An wealth
sOmpa. atiGeIv since the Franco pTussidn
war more than any other OF the Euro
pean powers. For instance, take the CITY
| of Munich IL f. n live, wldc-awaSe city,
| ana has increased In population from d.
| Vv 10 ryHN", although IL Is an inland
| town ard has none OF the advantages OF
| water navigation. Richmond. while being
J an inland town. IS accessible 90 steamers
/ and ships which is OF inest.mahle ad-
| vantage. Then. There is Berlin. a most
| beautiful city. Berlin has even @ better
/ record 20 show. for IL has increastN In
| population more than any other town of
! rs size aud rank either I'm this country or
! TO give some idea Of the wonderful in
! crease in business, J win merely este. for
! example. the iron industry. This line OF
! business has increased over 100 per cent.
/ and II you add Belgium You viii ind that
/ their combined iron business is much
! larger than an that OF ENGLAND This
fac. makes England look with jealous
]
THE CAUSE.
I How do you account for this great
I prosperity Air. Branch2 was asked.
The reasons for this result are very
! marked and evident.
First Any NUMBER of skilled artisans
may be procured al very reasonable rates.
Second. The low rate of interest at
! which money can DE had I'm great album
/ dance with which 90 foster and promote
! the manufacturing. agricultural, and min
l
illustrate this point. showing the album
/ dance or money. You can form some OUin-
ION when 1 say that there is over $500
/ 100000 on deposit I'm the banks at Munich
| alone. most of which Is deposited Tor
| ntty years, bearing interest from two
I ana one-half 10 three per cent. The banks
! IN turn lend fOur-lifths of this vast
amount out for the same period on real
estate Al three and One-half % four Der
cent, so you see mat money is thus avail
! gin"
Why is not that possible in this coun-
try?
II this money were held i'm the cities
OF this country there would be- tax ON
IL OF from one and one-h1lf 90 two per
| cent, representing 30 per cent of income
ON same. or course this would Doe ont of
| the question If dat rule held good in
"trmanv hence the necessity bon this
country OF charging much higher rates
OF interest which. b. Is here appropriate
y
the great food OF competition both at
nome ana abroad i'm manufacturing and
dsilcuitural pursuits, % make II SUCCESS
lri u Us absolutely necessary 10 have
cheap money and the sooner our law
makers turn their attens1n 70 this fact
ana induce capital into the State instead
OF driving u away the better will be- our
| prosperity"
Did any points Of general Interest strike
you as particularly noticeable?
GOOD ROADS
YES. indeed, and there is ono that
particularly desire 20 tell your reaiol.
about, and that Is In regard 10 the roads
l was forcioly struck with the elegant
roads. They are equal 10. and in SOM,
cases better, the best IN our city. witt
one difference. our practice has been {,
make "a good road or street and then 90 IT,
/ 10 20 until DO is worn out. while their hahI
Us 10 keep men working on them almost
an or the time, and when bad weather
| comes and the streets become delugfI
| with water they use scraprrs 20 keen
them dry. believing that this is "a cheaper
and better way than 90 have to repair
/ them when they get Zoo bad order through
/ negligence. You see "a single horse pull.
ing load 10 which four horses would
have % be attached in this State ! saw
more dust Ou our streets to-day t.an
did the whole three months / was in
! Europe.
Another point worthy of mention &.
/ the thorough way in which the country is
D
any, towns on farms that are not withii
/ ten miles on less distance OF them.
THE Emperor is progressive man, anf
ever On the alert 90 add 10 the materia
wealth of the Empire. It's evidence J..
20 De- readily seen on every hand
Was your sea voyage over and bach
pleasant?
THE RETURN TRIP.
well 1 think my answer must J.,
somewhat qualified. / was a passenger oi
the steamship Campania. one of m,
Cunard inc ocean greyhOunds. and the
trip going was very pleasant and smooth
but 4 cannot say the same for the rc
turn trip. II was rough SIR Allan Don
man, or Richmond. was passenger gOini
over. as was also Mr.. BLOW. "a mining en-
gineer. formerly of Norfolk. more Re-
Gently Of Colorado. who has accepted
position in the Transyaal from the Roths
chids at very large salary
AS J said. the return trip was very
rough indeed. AMI came in literally GOV
cred with ice. but being one of the fines
ships alOat there was no fear among th'
passengers. as nothing of dangerous
nature was apprehended unless We SHOULD
by chance have collision with som'
craft or iceberg in fO-.
Mr. Branch said be- was glad To have
arrived safe and sound at home. and 'X
pressed sorrow at the great misfortune
that had overtaken Or. Hatcher and h.
devoted congregation by the loss OF ihei
handsome church building.