The morning times., 1896-05-03


recourse to savings banks, accepting larger
amounts and paying a higher rate of inter
est than the government does. The govern.
ment rate would hardly be more than two
or two and onehalf per cent, but this
would be boon to the farmer or farm
laborer, or the small wage-earner in the
city, who could lay aside but trifle
from his weekly or monthly income. The
extent 10 which this saving habit takes
hold of the people, if properly fostered
and encoura ged, is seen in Holland, where
even postage stamps are accepted as de-
posits, and in one year the children OF the
country had placed on deposit nearly
thirty thousand florlns.
The convenience such banks would be
to the rural population is incalcuable, and
it is somewhat singular that in the United
States, where everything that can be done
for the welfare of the people is supposed
TO be done, the postal savings bank is still
in the future. The only objection comes
from persons who declaim against pa
ternalism, without knowing what paternal-
ism Is, and from others, who fear th.t
the institution would become a political
machine. AS far as the last named OBJ
lection is concerned, it is made without
taking into account the concern which
people would have regarding an institu
tion that would contain their savings.
1t is much more probable that the
postal savings bank would be the means
to make the demand for civil service re-
form far stronger than it is at present.
The great mass OF working people can
do no better than to exert their influence
to the end that all parties shall stand corr
mitted TO the establishment of post al
savings banks.
UNwISE EXEMPTION.
The Maryland legislature at it's recent
session enacted law exempting any news
paper man called upon to testify in any
court trial from disclosing the source of
information or news procured by him and
published in the paper on which he is en-
ployed. This is a dangerous innovation
and it would be most unwise for other
States to follow the Maryland example.
Such statute is nothing less than an
obstruction of the course OF justice and
can only have the most mischevous con-
sequences.
There is nothing about the profession
or work of a news gatherer or the editor
or publisher of newspaper that calls
for such confidcnces as to give any in
formation impaired to him the character
of what the law calls a privileged ccE-
muncation. There is only one person
who should be thus exempted, and that
is the lawyer who represents his clients
interests. Anything told him by his client
must be regarded as sacred against judicial
inquiry, for to be compelled TO disclose
such communications would Interfere
with his duty to his client and render il
| impossible to serve him effe ctualiy. This
| of course, is recognized by the courts. and
| hence the lawyer is not required 10 testify
| concerning anything that may have come
| to his knowledge in this manner.
! 1t is quite conceivable that under such
| law the conviction of Il criminal might
become impossible; nay, more than that
a newspaper reporter might be s'particeps
| crimins'' ana shield himself behind tie
! Convenient exemption thus provided for
! him. The statute is mischievous in the
| extreme for it departs from the salutar,
! principle that in the interest OF justice
the fullest scrutiny of everything essentia
| to ii should be possible to those entrusted
! with its administration.