The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-12-23
POSTAL SAVING BANKS
THEIR VALUE TO ALL CLASSES
Only the Bankers Oppose Them;
But They Rule the Country.

have corresponded with large num-
ber of congressman concerning the need
for Postal Savings Banks, stating that
practically all the rest of the civilized
world has them, and put the question,
why should we not have them?" In
| reply, Congressman W.. w. Bowers, San
Diego, CAL, incloses his Postal Saving
Bills" which he says has been pending
in Congress four years, and he writes:
'The bankers and sharks don't want any
Postal Saving system. That's the answer
to your why not? q t~- ~
In England these institutions were es-
tablished in 1861; in Canada in 1868; in
AustriaHungary, in 1883; and they have
also been established in France, Belgium,
Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Italy,
| Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, India,
| Ceylon, Finland, Japan, Argentina, Aus
tralia, New Zealand, Hawaii and Trini-
| dad. But doctors of the United States
Of America, you and your clinas can t
have them because the bankers don t
| want them!" Merchants, you can't have
them, because the bankers don't want
| them! Farmers, you can't have them
because the bankers don't want them! (!
Mechanics, you can't have Postal Saving
savings, because the bankers say that
| you must deposit with their institutions,
| if anywhere. Voters, however much you
desire the benefit these institutions
| would be to the masses of the people
and to the government, you can't have
them because the private bankers don t
| want you to have them. How do you like
| it? What are you going to do about it ?
| This is free country-for the bankers
| and other privileged classes; if they
| think Postal Savings Banks would be
| against their personal interests, they can
| prevent the people from having them!
These institutions would place a Saw
| ings Bank with absolute security within
| the easy reach of every citizen of this
great country. How it would benefit the
people and you, doctor, is so apparent
| that it need not be explained. Rich men
| put their spare money in United States
bonds for safety and interests; poor
men should have the opportunity to
place their savings into United States
| banks.
Actors are very superstitious and
cautious class of people. They don't
| like to trust the average saving bank. l
| understand that it is their habit, when
| they receive their pay on the road, to
60 to the nearest money order postoffice
and with the portion of their salary that
| they can spare, buy money order pay
| able to themselves in New York Then
| when the season is over (winding up in
| New York;, they collect these money
| orders whenever they want money. Thus
| the postoffice department is really their
banker, and the money orders are really
| certificates of deposit. So you see how
| near we have this system already; but
| the depositor has to pay for making a
deposit; no interest is allowed; payment
| is made at different place from the
| deposit, and presumably to different
| person. Change these features, and the
| thing is done. ;sa ~F
A citizen with a bank account is a
better, steadier and a more industrious
| and sober citizen than one. without a
bank account; and if the United States
| is his banker, he is more patriotic cit
| izen.-Dr. G. F. Taylor, in The Medical
| World.