The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-06-15

From the Washington Star.
 "A man may give a check in payment of bill and obtain a receipt but the obli- gation is not liquidated until after the check has been received and paid at the bank on which 1t is drawn" said Wash ington bank teller this morning. Tn oth- CT words if the check becomes lost, then the amount for which 1t was drawn still remains under the control of the man who owes the bill, although he may not know 1t until his account is balanced and his cancelled checks returned to him.
 Cheeks possess a great many advan- tages in conducting business, but 1t must be understood they are in nature but or ders for the payment of money and are payable in the order in which they are presented-that is to say, man may pay bills with checks numbered 100, 106, 122, etc, but at the bank number 100 would not have precedence over number 122.
 Cheeks must be dated. If not dated at all and they do not contain any statement as to whom they are to be paid, they are never payable. They may be ante or post dated as well as dated on the day Of delivery. By being ante-dated they may be made to cover prior transactions and in a measure determine the relative that no fraud is intended or done. Post dating in the main determines the date of payment
 When postdated so as to fall due on Sunday, they are payable on the following Monday. Checks postdated or maturing on legal holidays. should bc presented the day before When postdated checks are paid before the dates mentioned the money paid on them can be recovered. If blanks are left for the date, the hold CTS of checks are thereby authorized to inse-t the true dates of delivery. but no other dates, and If they insert any other dates it makes the checks void. Changing the dates of checks without consent of drawers will do the same.
 "The presumption is that when checks are drawn. funds will be provided at the banks on which they are drawn to meet them, but presentation for payment must be made within a reasonable time. If not so presented the holders will be charged with any consequent loss When persons receiving checks and the banks on which they are drawn are in the same place. they should be presented the same day or at the latest the day after which they are received.
 After duly presenting the cheeks it is also the duty of the holder. if they are not paid. to notify the drawers before the close of the next secular day follow ing the presentation and dishonor. No particular form of notice Is required It may be written or verbal.
 "The principal case in which losses oc- cur from failure to use due diligence in the collection of cheeks is where the banks on which they are drawn fail in the meantime If the banks continue solvent the drawers will remain liable to pay their checks for months at least after they are drawn. Presentation and notice of dishonor will also be dispensed with where there are no funds to pay checks and where the banks on which they are drawn suspend payment before the can be presented with proper dii- gence. After receiving checks they must be presented for payment. unless such presentation would be useless, tefore the original claims can be sued on, for. by accepting checks. there is an implied agreement to use that method of pro- curing the money for which they are drawn.
 When checks are negotiable and pass