The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1909-02-28

say the least. 1t has almost 5000, 900 600
In houses, lands and other buildings,
about $1,000, coo, COO in furniture and works
of art, and over $1,000, 100000 in goods and
other merchandise. It's shipping is esti-
mated at 800 ZOO, CO., which is probably
low, and its marine products at $500, 600 600,
which may be high. Japan has over $780,
100000 worth of mines. She has almost
81 600 100000 invested in companies and
banks. and over $500, 900 worth Of rail-
ways, teegraphs and telephones
Banks and Stock Companies Which
Pay Dividends.
These islands are rapidly becoming a
land of factories. Formerly, everything
was made by hand in the houses, and to-
day there are millions of men. women and
children who work at their homes There
are also something like 5000 factories
moved by steam gas, turbine water
wheels and electricity, and more than
900 O00 hands are employed in them. Over
1000 of these factories are devoted to tex
tiles and about 400 to machinery and
work in iron and steel. The government
alone has 1000 factories of its own, in
which almost 100000 men are employed.
1t has one connected with its shipbuild-
ing and naval establishment which en-
ploys over $4,000 men.
Many of the private companies have
gates over $500 100000. with a surplus OF
more than one-fourth of that amount.
This includes agricultural companies and
industrials of various kinds. 1t com
prises many commercial combination and
transportation companies, and also in
surance companies, stock exchanges and
a multiplicity of banks
AS to the banks, there are now over
220O, all managed by Japanese. with Jap
anese capital. Their paid-up stock aggre-
gates over $3.50, ,0C0 and their dividends
are big. Take the Bank of Japan, which
does the business of the government
That bank has a capital and reserve fund
amounting to about $40 900 600, and its
assets are s400, 900 900. It's deposits show
a balance on hand of over $500 900, 0O0 and
the net profits are about 100000 a year.
The stock pays IL per cent. The Kokoha-
ma Specie bank made 81, 100000 in 1907. and
paid a dividend of IL per cent, while the
Hypotheck Bank paid 10 per cent. There
are 46 agricultural banks here which pay
dividends of per cent. and most of the
ordinary banks are paying the same, and
some much more.
Eight Million Postal Savings Depos-
TORS.
One person in every six in Japan has
some money In the postal savings banks
These were started in 1875, and the de-
postors have doubled in the past Ave
years. There is now four times as much
money in the postal savings banks as
there was at the time the war with Rus
STA began, and their accounts amount to
almost $50,00000O, with over 100000 de-
positors. The banks pay as per cent in
terest. and the interest is compounded
by adding it to the principal every six
months. 1t is probably the highest saw
ings bank rate paid by any government
AS to the private savings banks, they
number 800 or 600. with deposits aggre-
eating 800, 000 900, and the dividends are
on the average about . per cent. The
paid in capital OF such banks amounts
to more than $22 600, 900.
New Corporation of Japan.
| 1t must be remembered that all these
institutions have been established within
| generation. japan knew practically
nothing of corporations until few years
ago. and the people are still afraid OF
| them. Marquis. the premier, who orig
mated the new financial policy now start