Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-12-13
Looker-On In Iona

Traer, Dec. 13-Theres an expert
down cas-, that proposes 20 tell the
railroads how 20 save millions. and
thus make an advance in freight rates
unnecessary The Chicago Great
Western has a sign hung up in their
depots offering old ties for sale. But
the other roads persist in the unw!se
extravagant plan Of piling them up on
the right Of way and burning them.
Near Belle PLANE as the train passed,
ore could see pile OF old hard wood
ties as big as a freight car. the sec
ton hands We're burning according 70
orders. There was hard wood enough
in that pile to supply some poor man
with fuel a., winter. II the railroads
don't care to sell them. why not turn
them over TO some united charities as
soc;ation. AT present prices Of fuel
it's a crime for any individual or cor
roration to thus absolutely waste one
of the necessities of lne-in Iowa.
The automobile besides becoming
factsr in accident Insurance circles is
still Eve question with our Iowa
baaS.-s One Of them wrote an east
ern respondent Is follows:
Automobiles are cutting figure.
Men able ard men not able are even
stra.ning their credit IN making this
fascinating investm ent. The invest
rnent is permanent and the funds sell
dom 90 back into the bank deposits or
10 pay the banks note. II the machine
is sold i. is but TO buy more ex-
pensive machine. The real and serious
cause however, Of the growing demand
for loans and the extensive use of
funds to answer specifically your q,les-
ton, Is. without doubt. the wide use
of credit 10 which the people have be-
come accustomed and the generous
credit which the banks have accorded
theu-the past few years. The custom
is running riot. 1t is a common thing
now for men TO go out and buy prop
a-ty. make deals and draw heavy
chs cks. and then go to the bank and
give her notes-witaout even p-evi-
ous,y arranging for such loans. The
tanks have been able 10 take care OF
these demands and the custom has in
sid.ousiv grown. With this unlimited
and unrestrained credit you can readily
ace what volume of credit would at
times be used These borrowers are
GOOD nen ard their paper is choice. but
It counts just the same in the volume
OF demand.
II think make the point clear. Many
men now do not stop to consider
whether they have the funds or can
spare the funds The question is.
rather, shall I buy? Will It pay me to
buvo And now they use their credit
rather than their bank balance. for
they may not have a bank balance.
The custom has grown up innocently
enough. but 1t has grown up. 1t is
forcing banks to carry more loans than
they would otherwise carry. The
banks have in this sense and to this
extent lost the power to control and
limit their loans. Further, this ability
to command credit at a moments no
tfce and the growing habit OF thus
using and depending upon it. has re-
suited in men giving less care to build
ing up and sustaining hank balances
against their needs. They are borrow
ing more and depositing less, using
their credit IN place of maintaining
bank balances from which to draw"
The small decrease in the population
Of Iowa. a condition easily explained
by our enormous settling up" OF the
southwest and north, is used by some
to point out other loss to our state.
Such persons forget the tremendous
irprovem ents going on here. every.
where. Never was IOWA more pros.
porous or spending 80 much money for
new public buildinsa, paving, beverage.
drainage. sidewalks. weterwoSks, cleo.
trio Iight plants, aad other lighting
andand city heating plants.
The assessors % 1ewa vera required
this year 70 report the number Of rods
Of drain tile Installed upon the farms