Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1897-11-26
Postal Savings Banks.

Postmaster, General Gary is receiving
many letters regarding the postal savings
bank proposition strongly urged by him in
his annual report. Many people through.
out the country have written him comment
ing on this projected radical extension Of
the postal service, and have submitted some
suggestions calculated, in their opinion, to
make the sch eme more feasible. AS a whole
the correspondence indicates rather gen
eral commentator, and some well-knowr
economists and financiers numbered among
the Postmaster-Gener friends, and who
have heretofore opposed measures of this
character, have, In letters just received
given qualified Endorsement. Postmaster
General Gary expects some legislation by
Congress on this subject, possibly ut the
next session, and believes that the extended
discussion which has been given it through
out the country will render material assist
ance to this end. In the course of an utter
view with the Associated Press this week
Mr.. Gary made an answer to some of the
comments that have been made on the SUBJ
ject. He said:
81 am very much interested, and not a
little gratified, at the public criticisms, as
reflected by the newspapers of my recon.
mendations in respect TO postal savings de-
positories. find, of course, that the gree t
majority of the papers are favorable to the
project, but am no less pleased with those
who have taken an adverse ground. No
one disputes that the project is beset by a
good many difficulties, and it is only by dis
cussion, full and general that they can be
overcome and removed.
GAS far have been able to discover, only
two OF jections have b en- seriously urged
against postal savings system. The first,
which never fails to turn up, is the old con-
tention that the government ought not TO go
into the business of collecting and taking
care OF the savings of the people. | think
this is an objection which may properly be
lett to Congress to answer. The other OBJ.
lection is based upon the generally admitted
difficulty OF finding safe and proper methods
of putting the money accumulations to
profitable use,
81 deliberately abstained from setting
forth definite plan for the disposition of
the savings, for the reason that it is prob
lem which deserves in its solution the ben
eft of the widest experience and highest
with outlining briefly a number of sugges
tons repeatedly made by my predecessors
in Office and by Others, and thereby invit-
ing, as believed, that critical and helpful
discussion by the public which has begun
already. Perhaps none OF those sugges
tions, nor all of them put together, will
prove equal to the task of absorbing profit
ably the collections of postal savings sys-
TEN, but am convinced that the national
debt, as 1t exists to day, offers temporary
solution of this difficulty. 10 the meantime
| have no doubt safe aud satisfactory plan
will be developed.
at is agreed on all sides that if practica
Bile postal savings system would be most
desirable This means great deal toward
the success of the project. Ii is being dem
onst rated, too, daily that the people want il,
and it has been my experience that what
the people want very much is usually pretty
nearly right, and is also very likely TO be
realized sooner or later.
81 have received good many letters since
the publication Of my report from private
individuals, from bankers, merchants, man
uiacturers, professional men and others.
value these personal communications very
highly and hope to get many more. The
proposition needs discussion, and am con-
fident that it will bear discussion. trust
that the newspapers, which, by the way,
treated my postal savings recommendations
handsomely, 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 be de-
vised, and that is what the country wants"