Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1910-12-09
new ERA IN FINANCE
ACCURACY AND PUBLICITY
PROVES TO De A POPULAR
MOTTO.

PROVES TO De A POPULAR
MOTTO.
Prompt Response 70 Bold Move ~
President vali.-sAeeuraey'' Reduo
cd Western Unions Surplus e,3r
ooo.ooo.-"PubIlclty~ Restored Con
Adencs and its stock Went Up.
Are the great dnanciers Of the
country beginning to see new light!
Time was. until recently In fact, when
the men at the head Of the big cor
porations kept their business to
themselves" as far - the law would
allow. Capable men at the head Of the
big concerns. long realized the weak.
ness Of their position. but what was
needed obviously, as in ell great re-
forms, was an unmistakable occasion
and q courageous man. The occasion
arose In the purchase Of the Western
Union Telegraph company BY tho
American Telephone and Telegraph
company. and the man appeared m
Theodore ~ Vail. President OF the
purchasing corporation.
1t was last December when public
announcement was made that the
Gould holdings Of Western Union had
been taken over by the Telephone
company.
On account Of the high esteem In
which the management Of the tele
phone company is so generally held.
great things were predicted a. = 70
suit Of tho absorption Of Western
Union. By the press Of the country
the deal" was most favorably COM
mented on. 1t being widely pointed
out that under tho direction OF such
men as Theodore N. Vail and bis ~
eociates, the telegraph company was
bound soon to work Itself into 20
sition where 1t could offer tho public
far more efficient service than It had
ever before been able to offer.
But q very few months had elapsed
when it became apparent to the new
management that q modern and up
to-date appraisal of the company's
assets would make possible q far
greater degree Of efficiency Of oper.
alton. Here" they said to them
selves, we've bought control Of this
property and We know It's immensely
valuable. but We don't know just
how valuable. These appraisals Of
real estate and securities owned were
made long time ago. II we have
complete inventory made Of every
thing we've got We can announce tho
facts to the public. start new set Of
books. and begin our responsibility
to stockholders right there"
How Inventory Was Taken.
The most expert accountants and
appraisers to be had we're put at tho
task. Their labors lasted over eight
months. Their report and It's publ
cation BY the company marks IN ep-
och In finance.
1t began BY recommending an i'd
justment Of the difference between
the appraised and book values by
charge Of $5,5s5.0s9 against sur
plus. Book values Of securities held
were reduced to market values. bad
and doubtful accounts were "charg-
ed off," an allowance Of $2,0O0,00o
was made for depreciation" another
OF 100000 for reserve" and SO on.
until the old surplus Of $1s.s67.000
came down to $5.l36000.
1t required courage. the publication
Of this statement to stockholders, say
ing In effect: 'The property Of
your company has been reval-
ued: the surplus isn't nineteen mill
ions. as you have been led to be-
lie~e. but I've Millions" but It was
the truth. and President Val! did not
finch. Accuracy ana publicity" he
declared. was essential "The stock
holder has q right to know. Tho
shares Of this company are scatter
ed from ono end of the Union to tho
other. This is more than private
corporation. It Is q great national
enterprise. The public ID entitled TO
! the facts"
The report was ordered published
forthwith. Financiers Of tho old
school and spectators generally were
aghast. What would happenl Would
the bottom drop out Of Western
Union when the shareholders realis-
ed that their property was worth
$l3.00O.000 less than they had sup
posed? But the amazing thing
happened. The stock went up and
stayed up. The public had respond
ed to this remarkable display Of
frankness and confidence: to the new
motto. Accuracy and Publicity"
The full significance of the action
Of the new board Is stated concisely
by Harper's Weekly in these words:
rs this policy Of publicity and Of
open'handed dealing with sharehold-
ers and public the forerunner Of
similar movement on the part Of 9TH
or big corporations? Certainly It IL
to be hoped that It 10. In the case
Of these big companies. dependent
upon public patronage and doing bust
ness under public franchise, can
there be any question Of the right OF
the people to know?
THAT right IL being recognized.
It Is recognized now in this epochal
act on the part OF the telephone and
telegraph interests. It Is the dawn
Of new era In corporation finance"
TImeilness.
/ . 80 -