The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-11-03
FRON OTHER PENS

INSPECTION NOT A GUARANTY.
Justice Porter suggests that the state
pay $4,000 to $4,000 a year in employ
Ing bank inspectors to visit and ex-
anime every bank in the state five or
six times a year, and oftener If any
weakness appears. This, asserts the
justice would give the depositors ample
protection.
L. c. drummer. state tax commits
sioner and former bank examiner,
agrees with Justice Porter and adds
that the state can we'll afford to spend
$4,000 to $50, 600 year on its bank in
spection department, If 1t would fur
nish the necessary security to deposit
tors.
The plan has merit, but the chief
argument used against the bank guar
anty law applies with greater force to
this plan The anti-guaranty people
urge with some degree of Justice that
the honest and careful banker must
pay for the losses Of the dishonest or
incompetent banker. Now in the guar
anty plan the cost comes upon the
banks and indirectly upon the deposit
tors who would find money trihe
dearer because of this tax. All bank
expenses including taxes and dividends
are earned by the bank from it's Gus
toners and those customers for the
most part are depositors. Thus in the
bank guaranty plan the depositors pay
the cost of the guaranty.
But under Mr.. Crummer's suggestion
the taxpayers of the state many OF
whom do no banking business and de-
posit no money in the banks, must pay
to protect those who do. 1t would take
the burden from the banks and place it
upon that good natured citizen, the
general taxpayer
1t is pertinent in this connection to
call attention tosthe complaint of the
comptroller of the federal treasury to
h.. anf 6o+ fr f,,,
out that q bank was weak until after
1t has really become insolvent. To rely
upon examiners Is dangerous expedi-
emit as long as examiners are political
henchmen who get their Jobs because
they cannot make living otherwise
and many of whom would wink at
false ledger If fifty dollar bill lay at
the open place in the ledger.
Bank inspection is excellent; it is
necessary and there should be plenty
of it, but it is not a guaranty to depos-
itors any more than the policeman Is
sure preventive of crime. There
would be more crimes IL there were no
policemen, and more banks would
break if there were no examiners
Wichita Beacon.
CAMPAIGN SPEECHMAKING.
Remarkable endurance feats of the
campaign orator are receiving atten-
ton in the press dispatches. The other
day Judge Taft took flying trip
through Ohio, making II speeches in as
many towns. Giving the Republican IL
working hours in the day, though he
may take more, despite union rules,
that is an average of one speech every
AZ minutes.
That is speaking some" but wait.
Mr.. Bryan made 81 speeches in Mis-
souri,, or, with the same working day,
one speech in each % minutes. With
the time lost between towns, that would
seem to be a record-breaking days
work on the stump. We do not recall
when or where it has been exceeded,
though in these days of record-smash-
ing there is no telling what may hap
pen.
1t is difficult to account for 1t, but
evidently campaign speech-making has
been reduced to a science about which
the layman knows, next to nothing.
The mother of invention has found a
way to bring the orators into speedy
and frequent touch with the people
without overtaxing their powers, ana
they are making the most OF it.-At-
lanta Constitution.