The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-22
THE PEOPLE WANT IT.
Says Postmaster General Gary, Re
garding the Postal Savings Bank.

garding the Postal Savings Bank.
Washington Nov. 22.-Postrnaster Cen
eral Gary is receiving many letters re-
garding the postal savings bank PROPOSE
ton, strongly urged by him IN his an
nuaI report Many people throughout the
country have written him commenting on
this projected radical extension of the
postal service and have submitted some
suggestions calculated in their opinion to
make the scheme more feasible. As a
whole the spondence indicates
rather general commendation and some
well known economists and fnanciers
numbered among the postmaster generals
friends and who have heretofore opposed
measures of this character have, in let
ters just received, given a qualified in
dorsement.
Postmaster General Gary expects some
legislation by congress on this subject,
possibly at the next session, and believes
that the extended discussion which has
been given it throughout the country will
render material assistance TO this end. In
the course of an interview with the Asso-
ciated Press today, Mr.. Gary made an an
swer to some of the comments that have
been made on the subject. He said:
Il am very much interested, and not
little gratided, at the public criticisms.
as reflected by the newspapers, of my rec
ommenda tions in respect to postal saw
ings repositories I find, of course, that
the majority of the papers are favorable
to the project, but 1 no less pleased
with those which have taken an adverse
ground. No one disputes that the project
is beset by a good many difficulties, and
it is only by discussion, full and general,
that they can be overcome and removed.
LAS far as have been able to discover,
only two objections have been seriously
urged against a postal savings system.
The first, which never fails to turn up,
is the old contention that the government
ought not to go into the business of col
lecsing and taking care of the savings
of the people l think it is an objection
which may properly be left to congress
to answer. The other objection is based
upon the generally admitted difficulty of
finding safe and proper methods of put
ting the money accumulatiOns to profita-
BILE use.
4 deliberately abstained from setting
forth a definite plan for the disposition
of the savings, for the reason that it is
a problem which deserves in its solution
the benefit Of the widest experience and
highest wisdom. I contented myself for
the time with outlining briefly a number
of suggestions repeatedly made by my
predecessors in office and by Others and
thereby inviting. as I believed, that criti-
cal and helpful discussion by the public
which has begun already. Perhaps none
of those suggestions nor all Of them put
together, Will prove equal to the task of
absorbing profitably the collections of
postal savings system; but I am now
convinced that the national debt, as 1t
exists today offers a temporary solution
of this difficulty. In the meantime, I
have no doubt, a safe and satisfactory
plan will be developed.
1T is agreed on all sides that, if prac-
tfcable. a postal savings system would be
most desirable. This means great deal
towards the success Of the project. 1t is
being demonstrated, too, daily, that the
people want it: and it has been my ex-
perfence that what the people want very
much is usually pretty nearly right and is
also likely to be realized sooner or later.
u have received good many letters
since the publication of my report from
private individuals, from bankers, mer-
chants. manufacturers. professional men
and others. I value these personal COM
nunications very highly. and hope to get
many more. The proposition needs dis
cussion, and I am confident that 1t VIII
bear discussion. I trust that the news
papers, which, by the way, treated my
postal savings recommendation hand
somely giving it full and extensive cir
culation, will keep up their criticisms and
that the people will take it up, think
about it. write about it, and not forget
to send me the results of their thinking.
If we all put our heads together the right
plan can devised, and that is what the
country wants"