The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-07-02
THE PEOPLES FRIEND.
Brief Sketch of Senator Mitch
ellis Public Life at Wash
ington.

''The efforts Of Senator Mitchell
and those who labored with him
to secure one-cent postage were
not successful, but they did much
to awaken sentiment throughout
the country, which will culminate
in its triumph with the return OF
good times and republican ad
ministration.
"Dearer to the senator's heart
perhaps, than one-cent postage, is
his project for postal savings de-
positorles. Mr.. Mitchell will not
rest satisfied, if his legislative
career is completed before the pos
tai savings banks have become
one of the institutions of this
country. He began the contest in
December, 1890, when he intro
duced into the senate the follow
ing resolution:
".Resolved, that the committee
on post offices and post roads be
and is hereby instructed to inquire
into the feasibility and advisability
of the enactment of a law Great
ing postal savings banks in con-
nection with all or certain classes
of post-ofices throughout the
country, and to report by bill OF
otherwise during the present ses-
sion.' In the same session he made
a speech on the subject brimful of
statistics showing the beneficial
operation of the postal savings
systems in other countries, and re
ferring to the recommendations OF
numerous postmaster generals In
their favor. After speaking ol
these latter, he said:
Notwithstanding these earnest
recommendations, and notwith-
standing the many cogent reasons
advanced in favor of the PROPOSE
ton, not the least convincing OF
which is the magnificent success
that has attended the establish
ment Of postal savings banks in
| Great Britain and ner colonies, and
in France, Austria, Belgium, the
Netherlands, Italy, Russia. Swed.
en-, Hungary, Hawaii, and Other
countries, the congress Of the Uni
ted States does not seem to awaken
to the Importance OF the subject
or realize that in this one aspect
among the many beneficial results
: flowing from the postal system o.
the country, the United States i:
: permitting itself by its apparent
Indifference and inaction to be out
stripped by nearly every European
: nation. 1t would not perhaps be
just to suggest that inasmuch a.
: the great benefits that would flow
r from the establishment OF posta
r savings banks in the United State
: would inure chiefly to the people
of the country-those of the rura
districts, including those of th'
small cities and towns, while
comparatively small share of sacl
benefits would be reaped by tAos
who toll in large cities-that il
; this fact is to be found the rea
secret of hesitancy and delay OF
the part of congress.
"'Such suggestion would be il
:. a measure reflection on the in
tegrity of the congress of whic
we are ell members, and yet it
Il a fact, as the history of the dis
cussion of this subject shows, tina
q whatever of objection, whatever c
e opposition, that have been urge
d against the proposition. have. in
: variably come not from the press {
II the small cities and towns of til
y rural districts, but invariably fror
II the metropolitan press, and that {
e other large cities where capital
d accumul tied in large amounts an
where the wants of the workin
people who have either large {
4 small sums to deposit for safekeeI
n ing are met by private savings il
II stitutions. 1t would be unjus
= however, and not in accordanc
with the facts to say that the ser
timent of the large cities as e.
pressed through the public pres
" is by any means united in oppos
s. ton to the establishment of post;
at savings banks; but, ON the contr'
a ry, some of the ablest champion
IL of the cause are to be found anon
1n p the leading and influential journa
az az of the country
rt ''In his peroration, he said:
IS. is now little more than thirty OIL
'st years since, under the masterfl
I'd leadership of Mr.. Gladstone, tt
IN British parliament enacted sta
g ute providing for system OF po
d tai savings depositories in Gre