The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-12-16
SOUTHERN PROGRESS
WONDERFUL INCREASE IN BANK ING FACILITIES.
National Institutions Have Made Mar. vicious Gains in Numbers, and In the Amount of Deposits
 and Profits.

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 Baltimore, Dec. 15-(Special. )-The Manufacturers Record says this week: The wonderful progress of the South is in no way better illustrated than by the enormous growth of it's banking facilities. In 1880 there were 200 na- tieilal banks in the entire South from Maryland to Texas, but now there are l,s21. Tn 1880 the national banking capital in this section was only $4J,- 5aS,000, now 1t Is $ie6,D37,000. and while twenty five years ago the surplus nf the South's national banks was only $e,o00,000 and few thousands over, it is now $50, 0,257, 900. National bank de- posits in the South have grown from $64.72e.0 .0oO to over s469 032, 900 within the same period. .+
 But 1t is by comparison with the growth of the national banking system of the enttye country that the establish ment of national banks in the South displays It's conspicuous gains, The number of national banks In the entire country in 1880 was 2.09O, now it is 5,757, an increase of 175.45 per cent, but the growth in the South from 220 to 1.221 national banks is an increase of 40 per cent Furthermore, while the national banking capital in the whole country advanced during those twenty-five years from $45T.553,5S5 to $799,S70.229. an increase of 74.79 per cent, the Souths growth from over $45.000,000 to more than $126, 6,0O0,000 of national banking capital In the same time is gain of 176,46 per cent; also the national banking surplus in the whole country rose from over $120. 0.000.- 900 to nearly $41s.000.000, an increase of 24b,63 per cent. but the national banking surplus in the South, by going from $9,000.000 to over $50, 900 900, dis plays an increase of 547.73 per cent This shows the rapidity of Southern ad- vancement in a striking manner.
 Not the least interesting feature of these statistics Is the gain displayed by some States fin the number of na- tional banks therein. Mississippi, for instance, had no national banks in 1880 although thirteen years previously she had two-but in 1905 she has twen- tyfive. The great State of Texas had thirteen national banks a quarter of century ago, now she has 40: Florida had only ? then, but now 34: Virginia had 17, now S5; West Virginia had r.. but now T9; Georgia had I3. now 6S; Alabama had 0. now 67; both Maryland and Kentucky had each a comparative ly large number of national banks in 1880, the former possessing 35, and to- day S9. while the latter then had 49. but now 124.
 But most of the large gains in the number of national banks are clearly results of the act of March II, 1900, authorizing the establishment of the national banks with less than $50.000 capital. For instance. in 1900 Texas had 225 national banks, now she has 40, as heretofore stated; Alabama had 2S. now 67; Georgia 27. now 63; West Virginia 40, now 19; Virginia 43, now S5; Kentucky S1, now 124; Arkansas had [. now 2S; Louisiana q, now 35. ..
 National banking capital in the South rose from total of about $45,- 800 900 in 1880 to nearly $92. ,0O0 in 1889, but in 1900 II had fallen back to about $S6.500,000, yet during the last five years it has risen from that com paratively low figure to over $126,O0O.- 900. But there has never been any halt in the gain of Southern banking sur plus, From $9.O00,O0 in 1880 1t rose to | $24,000.000 in 1890 and $50, 900, 900 in | 1900 and S50,000, ,000 in 1905. Undivided profits have gone up from below $4 | 100000 in 1880 to nearly $12,00O,000 in 1890, to more than $1S.o00,O0 in 1900 and to nearly $27.000.O00 fin 1905.
 Could any record of accomplishment be more impressive than this? Yet it must be remembered that in this quar- ter of century deposits in Southern national banks have increased from a total of $64,729.000 to a total of $469,- | 032,S2S, which is a gain of very nearly | 625 per cent. And 1t must furthermore not be forgotten that these statistics do not include the numerous private and State banks in the South. which num- Der more than the national banks therein, nor the trust companies which also engage in banking. all of which classes of financial institutions are con- Stantly growing in numbers and strength"