The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-01-06
THE POSTAL SAVINGS BANKS.
SENATOR euTlER DESCRIBES TINE
PROVISIONS OF MS Olll-Pus.
Lie SENTIMENT FAVORABLE.

Ihe question or the adjustment
Of postal savings banks is one that
will be debated during the present
session OF Congress-, and many Ad-
vocates OF this system for eucourag-
ing people OF small means to save
money for times of emergency are
confident that q bill embi acinR the
main features OF such institutions
will be passed before the
close OF the Fifty FIFTH Congress.
Postmaster General Gary has en-
dorsed the idea of a system of postal
savings banks as strongly as posi-
BILE, and in his annual report an
swered such objections to their es
Enlistment as have been advanced.
Being director in one of the larg-
est savings banks of Baltimore for
the past twenty years, Mr.. Gary
brought to the subject the expert
ence most needed in the considera-
ton Of this question. Bat The Presi
dent failed 10 endorse the pr ct in
his message 10 Congress. although
the Postmaster General urged him
to do so. This failure TO endors.
the scheme was not the result of any
anita gonism to the project, il is un-
derstnod, but was merely because
the President thought the subject
should be further considered before
acted upon. his failure to speak
on the subject, therefore, does not
deter advocates of the measure
from going ahead with confidence,
and their belief is that Mr.. McKin-
ley would not veto q postal savings
bank bill if passed by Congress.
They regard one Of the closing para
graphs of the Presidents message
as full explanation of his failure
to endorse postal savings banks,
that paragraph being as follows:
81 am forced by the length of this
message to omit many important
references to affairs of the govern
ment with which Congress will have
to deal at the present session. They
are fully discussed in the depart
vite your earnest attention.
Since 1882 there have been intro
duced in Congress about twenty
bills for the establishm ant of postal
savings banks. Early in the last ex
ira session of Congress Senator Ma
rion Batter of North Carolina intro.
duced q bill of this character con
tanning many new features, which
he believed would adapt the system
to the peculiar needs of this coun
try. Monday Senator Mason of ILL
nois, an ardent advocate of posts.
savings hanks, introduced in the
Senate a bill for their esta bllshment
known as the Chicago Record bill
Daring the extra s. IS on last spring
Mr.. Buffers bill was r.t, rred to tn.
Sena c, mn tt-e on pOstoffices AM
post-roads, OF which he is 4 10. III Der
Inc committee RETIRE the bill tt
the Postmaster General, r61uestin,
him to canine it and return 1t t.
the Senate, with such recommends
tons as he thought proper. In hi
annual report to Congress he en-
dorsed the project generally.
Sentiment Generally Favorable.
A Star reporter talked to Senate
Butler today about the chances o
Congress passing a postal saving
bank bill. When asked if he though
the bill would become law durin,
the present session, he replied:
"Since the bill was introduced il
the Senate last summer and the Sen
ate document containing much in
formation regarding it was pub
lished and widely circulated tn
question has been discussed by tn
press of the country from one en-
to the other, and it is safe to say tina
nine-tenths of the newspapers hav
declared that they favor tn
plan. In fact, seldom, if ever, has an
proposition grown in favor durin
a few months as has this one. Th
Postmaster General promised thu
he would examine the subject an
report upon it. He has Endorsed til
general project in very strong an
admira bic argument, and l expe,
: he will return the bill to the commi
3 tee soon with specific recommends
tons.
: "The chances of this Congre.
adopting such measure are II
4 creased on account of the fact TIL
Q no important party legislation wi
: probably be seriously considered {
pressed. While the peoples party
the only party that has ever declare
for postal savings banks in nation
al platform. yet the interest in Il
! question extends to all parties, an
Q II has long ceased to be party que
J, ton, if it ever was such q Question
Q "What do you regard as the Chi
d or jections that will be urged to sue
a measure in this country and fro
o what source will they Gomez Sen
S tor Butler vas asked.
o The Objsctors.
"The obi actions will bs more
. the shape of opinions than in Il
y form of arguments and facts, al
necessarily SO, because there are !
- arguments against the plan. II
= obj =ctions can come only from shor
= sighted bankers and possibly from
y few rossback politicians who HI.
. against everything new, even if it
= good"
"Will the bill be fought as beir
- in line with paternalism?'
> THAT objection has been made
;. a part of the press that has been he
y tile to the plan, but even those wi
- raise that objection admit it is got
thing. Such an OBJ sction is absur
The Post Office Department is pate
nalism pure and simple. Would al
man favor putting the Post Or
t. Department in the hands Of priva
enterprise and lose all the benef
il coming from governmental operate
IS simply to humor the senseless pr
= dice or absurd sentimentalism call
- paternalismi Government itself
- paternalism. The only question
a. how far the welfare of the people
81 g. -.