Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-06-22
Careful Bank Management.

In the two territories there were five bank
failures last year-two Of national banks
and three of banks incorporated under ter
ritoriaI laws. The national banks were
compelled to close their doors because of
unusual and peculiar conditions, but one of
them resumed business within twelve days
and the other within twenty-five days, and
both are now In a prosperous condition.
Not dollar was lost by either. Indeed,
the only money lost by the failure of ma
tional banks in the history of either terri
tory were small amounts whep the Capital
National of Guthrie and the National Bank
of Hoidenvlle closed their doors. President
Craig of the Territorial Bankers Associa-
ton assures me that no state in New Eng
land has so good record. OF the three
territorial banks that failed two were swim
dies from the start, and should never have
been allowed to receive deposits or do busl-
ness. The other was insignificant. In this
connection Mi. Craig said:
When we consider the fact that there Is
absolutely no law for the supervision of
banks in Indian Territory, and that any,
body who has money or credit enough 20
rent a room and obtain the necessary sta
tionery can open a banking business Won
will admit that ii Is remarkable that our
record is as clean as it is. And 1t is proof
that public sentiment is safe and strong on
this subject, and the bankers of Indian Ter
ritory are men of good character and abil-
ity. Oklahoma is fortunate in having ter
ritorial law for the supervision of banks"
The total capital and surplus of the GOT
banks is ST 10000 and the deposits are
more than $41. 100000.
1t will surprise you to learn, also. that In
dian Territory has 400 miles of railroad
more than several of the countries of Eu-
rope and states of the Union. The town
property alone (no other is taxablel 10 as
sessed at s20o, 100000 Last wear OK asn
bales of cotton were produced. q, o;,O ol0
bushels Of corn and T0.O000oo bushels ~
wheat. and two big crops of POTATOES IF
from seVenty-five to a hundred bushels 10
an acre. "
No Provision for Roads.
The people suffer from TIE lack of GEN.
traiized government. For examine there
are no roads and bridges. and no way to
get them The Indians will not make
them out of their tribal funds: the white
people have no authority and no means Of
raising money to pay for them Hence
they could not make a road or build a
bridge II they wanted to. and Congress
has too much else to think of The agree
ments with the Indians for the distribution
or Their lands are very defective in this
respect. The Greeks and Cherokees are
required to give from their alotments
sufficient land for a highway along each
section line; but no provision is made for
surveys or Tor locations or for the con-
structlon or the roads No one is respon-
sfble for making them; there is no money
to pay for them, and on the 4th of March
next all of the old roads may be fenced in
In the agreements with the Choctaws and
Chickasaws there is no provision what
ever for roads Nobody seems to have
thought that roads were necessary, and
unless Congress takes some action before
the 4th of next March there will be no
| thirds Of the Indian Territory, and no law
full means by which the citizens can OBJ
tain them.
It is exasperating when one discovers