The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-11-12

crease in the volume of all kinds of
business, which has necessarily pro-
duced a very large expansion. The
clearing house transactions have in
creased from $4,000 600, 900 in 1897 to
STA 600, 100000 in 1901, an increase of
$50 100000 900. That is, they have more
than doubled in amount.
By consolidating the reports made to
the controller of currency by all the
national banks and all other banks who
make any reports, / get the following
data regarding the changes in condition
of practically all the. banks in the
United States.
Form 1892 to 1902. individual deposits
have increased from $4,665 900, 900 to
$S,0S2 900 900, or haVes almost doubled
in amount
The loans have increased from s4,-
S37, 100000 to $7,169, O0O 900, or more than
65 per cent
The item of due from other banks
increased from 1854, 900, 600 to 81, 552. OO0.-
900 total of 1868, 900 900. or 1877 per cent.
From 1892 to 1902, the cash on hand
in all the banks has increased $685.
100000, or 43 per cent
The proportion of individual deposits
on hand in cash in all the banks Ma
tional and all other, was 1919 per cent.
in 1892, IL 2-1O per cent. in 1897. but
it has fallen to 9 2-10 per cent. in 1902
We now find ourselves in the condi-
ton of the railroad embarrassed by
the volume of traffic. With all the
machinery of exchange strained to the
utmost to keep up the present rate,
and with every channel swollen to the
full with the rushing tide the slight
est Encouragement spreads at once
and is very far reaching in it's effects.
We must either reduce the volume of
the traffic or add to our facilities for
handling it. In the present condition
there is not a sufficient factor of safe
ty, and there is danger of the strain
exceeding the limit of elasticity if II
does not reach the point of ultimate
rupture.
In the last ten years the value of
farm lands in the United States has
increased So, 1896, 900 900; the implements
and machinery on the farms $267 000-
900; the live stock, $3.50, 0C0 GOO: and the
value of one years farm products has
increased $2,279, COG, 600. The total value
of the farm products for the year 1900
reached the enormous sum of $4,739,-
100000, and for the year 1902 it will
considerably exceed this.
From 1890 to 1900 the number of
United States has increased by 1877 900;
the number of employees by 10000 0O0.
The total wages paid in 1900 was So
$50, 000,0 600 and the value of the manu-
featured products was over $13, 200, 000. :
900. A comparison of the figures Civ
ing the banking totals with those Civ
ing actual increases in quantities and
values of those things which are the
basis of all wealth and credits. justi-
a. 4
amental conditions the expansion
which has taken place is legitimate
growth. 1t is expansion. not imitation.
.
The total amount of loans,
81, 1863, 900, 900 is only about 60 per
cent. of the value of one years manu-
features and only 40 per cent. of the
value of the combined farm and manu-
featured products for a single year.
These loans are AZ per cent. of the val
ue of the farm lands of the United
States and y per cent. of the capital
invested in manufactures.
.
Business failures are few in number
and small in size. There have been but
two failures of national banks since
Aug. 3. 1901, and these were of very
small banks which had been ruined, if
not looted by their officers. Our farm
ers are now gathering and beginning to
sell the largest and most valuable crop
they have ever produced. They are
well supplied with money as a result of
good crops and high prices for the past
few years. Wholesale and retail bust
ness is good in all parts of the country,
and the universal report is that collec-
tions were never easier to make.
In spite of all this. the banking and
financial situation is looked upon with
considerable apprehension. We cannot
disguise the fact that with reserves
running down, not only in the reserve
cities, but i'm all the banks of the coun-
try the situation is serious and requires
close attention and careful handling.
Now is the time for caution and care in
bank management. IL Is In times such
as we have been having for several
years that banks get into trouble. What
becomes later a bad line Of credits is
apt to be made in prosperous years,