La Junta tribune., 1908-10-10

beetfields in this section. passed
! sugar factory at little town. that
was small compared to our fine manu-
factory at Swink. The beets are be-
ginning to ripen. but the factory had
not yet started on the crop. The
beets are good. but not an average
OF the beets grown In the Arkansas
Valley. as they seem TO me.
Since lifted my pencil. twenty
four hours have passed and | am
now. Sunday evening, in Antwerp. l
went from Paris to Brussels. arrived
at noon, and learning that the best
Belgian horses were raised south OF
Brussels, between Brussels and Par.
is, | turned about and retraced my
journey for nearly thirty miles, TO
little village called Neufville. where
III went to farm. about two miles
distant. l returned to Brussels at
noon and shortly afterwards took the
train for Antwerp. Brussels. as you
know. is the capital of Belgium,
fine city of over 500, 1000 population
and contains some fine buildings.
Antwerp is about one-half the size OF
Brussels. was once the greatest com
mercial city of Europe, is situated
on the Scheldt. about sixty miles fron
the ocean, only about twenty-five feet.
above sea level, and now still
most important sea port. but 1t has
lost its great prestige of some two
hundred to four hundred years ago.
| will return again with you to
Paris and give you u little insight in
to one or two interesting institutions.
III visited the Bank of France, one of
the largest banks in the world-not
| the largest-and one of the strong
est, for several times the Bank OF
France has come to the aid of the
Bank OF England, once. which l re-
member. during the great Barring fail
ure of about 1890, and two or three
| times since. | regard the Bank of
France as the most solid bank IN
| the world II is government insti-
tuition. though the stock is largely
owned by private persons. 1t is re-
lated to the fiscal transactions OF
the government In many ways. and
issue OF the paper, money Of France.
besides, Possesses monopoly OF the
| which II calls notes. mot money. These
notes, the day visited the
were but slightly in excess Of the
| gold and silver In Its vaults and the
balances due the bank from various
paper money Is not covered by actual
cash or money. Its capital is but
lS0, ,OOO. 900 francisco. 100000. It's
deposits are not very large. considerii
the Importance Of the institu-
tion. being but about 350.0O0.OY.
francs-$70. .0OO. 900. 1t holds about
an equal amount of gold and silver
in it's vaults. slightly. at this time.
! more gold. 1t reserves the right,
and this right is given the bank by
law, to pay Its notes-redeem its
money, in either gold or silver, 80
l'that you can not present Its notes
and demand gold for them. This diff
fers from the rules or rather laws
governing the redemption OF the green
backs and notes issued by our
government. for the government must
/ pay the holder of Its notes, upon de-
mand, In gold or silver. at the hold
er's option. asked the representa-
| tiyes OF the bank-"If l present one
of your notes to you and demand pay
ment in gold, are you compelled to
pay me in gold?" He replied-"No.
we reserve the right to pay you In
silver. If we choose. and In this we
are acting under the laws OF the
government" This bank does not
seek deposits, as they say they have
all the money they can use, and to
increase their deposits. only increases
the banks liability. Its operations
are largely confined to government
transactions, the loaning of money
and the discount Of bills. 1t makes
no loans upon real estate, and no loan
upon personal security. and. in dis
counting bills OF exchange demands
two good indorsers. besides the draw
er. They loan at three and four
per cent, and discount bills at trifle
less.
The building is large. four story.
old stone building, impressing one
with It's solidity. but with only moder
ate architectural effect. A soldier
| in uniform. with gun bayoneted.
stands. at ALI times. at the entrance
| for what Durpose. l cannot guess, un-
less 1t be for effect and to impress
one with It's dignity. for do not
presume any guard has ever bayonet-
ed or shot man, in all the banks