Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-12-08

Washington. Dec. 5.-The report of
Charles G. Dawes, comptroller Of the
| currency, for the year ended October 81
says with respect 10 the condition Of
national banks during the year, as
| shown by the five reports required from
| the banks:
Notwithstanding that the number of
/ banks in operation on September ~ is less
than at any date Of report since December
-, 1880, the amount Of individual deposits.
loans and discounts and total resources IS
greater than at any time during the 11Ist-
ence Of the national banking System. on
September 20, for the first time, the aggre-
gate resources reached and exceeded The
$4,000, 900, coo mark, the increase since Oc-
tober 5, being $29S, 81. 357le
A Compa rison
"A comparison of the last returns with
those OF October 5, 1897, indicates an in
crease during the year Of 500, S52, 1871 in
ment securities on deposit with the treas
urer of the United States to secure circu-
lating notes and public deposits and the
amount held by the banks; s57, 81 81 in
specie and legal tender.
1.-The reduction of S25, 1865 900 in the amount
of United States certificates Of deposit for
legal tenders results in a net increase of
lawful money Of So, $50, S27.34 on october
5, 1897, the deposits aggregated 81, SOS, 349,
1850. and on october 90 1885, s2031, 45, 540 %,
the increase being SITS, l05, 41L79.
The balance due other banks and bankers
shows an increase of So, 627, $500. and
United states deposits of 9,02s 019.27.
Interests of Depositors.
The comptroller says that he does not re-
view in their details the plans for the modi-
hcation of the currency and banking sys-
TENS, which are now the subject Of eco
homie and general discussion throughout
the country, but confines his discussion to
the general principles underlying all Of
them, because they seem to ignore the in
terests of bank depositors, with whose pro-
lection the comptroller is peculiarly
charged. He says that those plans which
are now most generally discussed may be
considered as based upon the following
propositions:
q That the disproportion between out
standing currency liabilities of the gov
eminent payable in gold and the gold held
for their redemption should be lessened by
a contraction in the amount of these de-
mand currency liabilities.
'2 That the void in circulation caused by
such contraction should be filled by an ex-
tension of the circulation of national
banks, which circulation, redeemabIe in
gold. is ultimately to depend for its chief
security upon a first lien upon the CONNER
cial assets of the issuing banks"
He says that the assumptions which seem
to underlie these plans are:
Il That unless we are to have a currency
contraction, some radical extension of
banknote issues is absolutely necessary to
the securing Of the proper adjustment Of
government currency liabilities to it's gold
reserve. by which adjustment the greater
safety Of the gold standard is subserved;
and
% Through this radical extension and
change in the present form of bank-note
. 81 ar ~ m he cd in
our currency"
Recommendation Made.
The comptroller makes the following
recommendations in regard to the present
laws governing the issue of national bank
notes:
Il. The existing bank-note system based
upon deposit of government bonds Sc
curity. should not now be abandoned.
2. For the purpose of allowing elasticity
TO bank-note issues to protect the banks
and the community in time of panic,
small amount Of uncovered notes, in addi-
ton to the secured notes. should be au~
horized by law under the following limita-
tons:
They should be subjected to so heavy a
tax that they could not be issued in normal
times for the purpose OF profit, but would be
available in times of emergency. The tax
should be so large upon the solvent issuing
banks as to provide fund which. in con-
nection with the pro rata share of the as
sets OF an insolvent bank would be suth-
cient to redeem the notes in full without
necessitating any preference of note
holders over depositors of any insolvent is
suing bank.
THE tax should be so large as TO force
this currency into retirement as soon as the
emergency passes
such a currency should be used only to
lessen the evil effects of the too rapid
liquidation OF credits which are collapsing
under a financial panic. but could not be
probably used as basis of business spec
ulation and imitation"