Evening journal., 1899-11-20

CREASE IN ACCOUNTS WITHIN
THE LAST DEcADE-THE GEN
ERAL DEDUCTIONS OF THE
COMPTROLLER.
Washington, Nov. 2O.-Charles G.
Dawes, comptroller of the currency, has
just made public the results Of the
investigation which he has made into
the number Of loans and deposit ac-
counts, rates of interest and resources
Of the combined banks of the United
States in the years 1889, 1894 and 1899.
In collecting this data nearly 10000 re-
ports from banks have been examined
and compiled.
The investigation into number of
loans and deposit accounts and average
loans and deposits is the first ever
made, covering the United States,
either in reference to the national sys-
TEN or banks other than national. The
results of this investigation indicate
a magnitude of banking resources and
a rate of growth in number of deposit
financial history of the world.
The comptroller states that the re-
suits for the combined banks are care
fully estimated upon the basis of ratios
found to exist in the reporting banks,
and that they may be regarded as sub
stantially accurate. He is careful tO
call attention to the fact that the
number of deposit accounts and loans
given in his figures must not be con-
fused with the number Of depOsitors
and borrowers, since the same indiyid-
ual may have loans and deposits in
several banks. each of which would
make a separate report to the comp
troller While therefore, the actual
numbers of borrowers and depOsitOrs is
much les sthan the number of loans
and deposit accounts, the growth in the
latter is evidence of the general
growth in the number of individual de-
pOsitors and borrowers.
The general deduction from the in
vestigation covering the last ten years
is given by the comptroller as follows:
First. That the number of individual
depositors in the banks Of the United
States is constantly increasing, as in
dicated by the regular increase in the
number of deposit accounts of the COM
bined banking systems. estimated as
follows: July -, 1889, 1908 banks re-
porting, 6.7OS971; July Is, 1894. 9,5OS
banks reporting, S,993,766; June so,
1899, 1882 banks reporting. 1l,432.636.
The estimated grand total for the year
1893, based upon banks reporting, and
statistics as to non-reporting banks
obtained from tax returns TO the COM
missioner of internal revenue. shows
In
banks.
Second. That there is a demand from
borrowers for the use of the greater
proportion of the deposits of banks
and while tho number of individual
borrowers is increasing the depositors
greatly outnumber the borrowers, ant
the Increase in the number of borrow
ers was much less than the increass
in the number of depostors. as indi
Gated by the rate of increase in tn,
number Of loans estimated as follows
July l.. 1889. 7203 banks reporting
2,lSS,54l; July Is. 1894, 9,50S banks re
porting, 2,990694; June 80. 1899. 9.73
banks reporting. 3,911 .664 The esti
mated grand total for the year 1893
based upon banks reporting and Stats
tics as TO nOn-reporting banks. oh
tanned from tax returns to the commits
sioner of internal revenue shows &
06l .252 loans in ~ S0l banks
Third, That the growth OF the bank
ing systems is being characterized b,
a gradually lessening rate of interes
charged on loans.
Fourth. That a gradually lessenin
rate of interest is being paid upon de
posits.
Fifth. That, considering the larg
clientage Of national and saving
bank, the average deposit Of the indi