Los Angeles herald., 1910-10-16
us. RANKS THE WORLD
IN GOVERNMENT CREDIT
Monetary Commission Issues
Comprehensive Data in
Official Circular

comparison of the prices OF the SoNeiA
ment bonds of England, France ana
Germany and the United states DURING
the last thirty years. Such comparl-
son is one of the features in the eXten-
sive compilation of tables showing
many aspects of American bankins.
lust issued by the national mohslaI
commission. One table, which reduces
tbe nrices of the various bonds to the
basis of a 8 per cent bond, shows that
on this basis English consols were sell
ing in 1898 at 120.6S and our per ceIIs
of 1908-1918 at 1851. BY 1909, however
our per cents had come TO sell at
higher price than the consols, bringing
1o1.7b as compared with 10O.52 Tor lhe
consols. ~
The publication referred to IS the
most complete collection OF statlstles
of banking and currency IN inc 0hltep ,3Ilo9
States that has ever been pupnsheu'
and takes the form of a large volume
entitled "Statistics for the United
states, 1867-1900." This work was COM
piled by DR.. A. Pratt Andrew, assistant
secretary of the treasury and speclal
assistant to the commission. Under MS
direction information was obtained on
many phases of American pahhlhs
from nearly $4,000 banks throughout
a
had ever before reported in any gov
ernment investigation. Data have also
been furnished by the Clearing House
associations of the leading cities, by
the leading financial journals ana by an
branches of the government SefNlee'
The volume contains a unique collecllol
of financial information conveniently
arranged, which will prove Of great
practical value for those Interested III
the solution of present day banking
problems.
into four parts. Part I, which contains
general statistics, illustrating the
growth of population, wealth, business
and commerce, serves as a good lhtIo-
duction to the parts dealing with pahk.
ing. money and finance. Statistics Oh
banks and banking in the United states
are found in part II. Part III is deVot-
ed to statistics of money, gold supply
foreign and domestic cash movements
and rates of foreign and domestic ex-
change. Part " gives statistics OF the
United States treasury, including gov
ernment receipts and expenditures
bond issues and bond quotations, cash
balances, gold holdings and deposits
with national banks. The frequent use
of explanatory notes throughout the
volume much increases the usefulness
of the statistical tables.
The number of national banks in the
country increased from 1896 IN 1857 10
97s2 In 1900 and to 6S93 in 1909. state
banks increased from 272 in 1857 to IL
31e in 1900. In 1867 the capital, includ-
ing surplus OF the national banks, was
S481. 700. 900; in 1909 1t was $152l, 100, ,OO0
state banks, though they outnumber
the national banks. have combined
capital of hut $568,700,00O. Trust eompa-
nies, which have multiplied very rapid
ly in recent years, reported to the num-
ber of 1879, showing a capital or Sll4'
100000. Figures for the average capltal
bring out the fact that in 1909 the trust
companies led, with an average capital
of $662. 100, the national banks and the
state banks having $220,6O0 and $5O,zoO
respectively.
The table giving the number and av-
erage capital of national and state
banks by states, 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1909,
brings out the fact that the highest
average capital in the case of national
banks was found in 1909 in the state of
New York, $711,900; the lowest in North
Dakota, 200. In the same year the
New England states had 4S3 national
banks to only 10 state banks, whereas
in the western states great prepon-
derance of state banks is shoWn-3026
state banks to 1120 national banks. The
rapid development of banking In the
south and west is shown by table CIV
ing the total number of commercial
banks by states in 1880, 1890, 1900, 1909,
and the number of inhabitants to each
commercial bank. South Carolina,
which in 1900 had but one bank to 31,17O
people, in 1909 had one to every 6190 in
habitants. For the southern states as
a whole the increase Of service is meas
ured by the fall from 1884 to 5137. In
New Mexico the number served by a
single bank has fallen in the same time
from 1883 to 1886. Alaska shows the
greatest change-from 63592 in 1900 to
7075 in 1909.
The total deposits in all reporting
banks Qncluding Individual, bank and
government deposits) have increased
from $1013, 900 in 1857 to $16,500, ,000,-
600 In 1909 OF the money thus depos-
tied in 1909 all but $3,721, 500, 000-the
savings bank deposits of the country
was in commercial banks The proper
ton of cash holdings to total deposits
has decreased from 27.6 per cent in 1857
TO 8.5 per cent in 1903.
One very interesting table is that an
alyzing the national bank failures from
1856 to 1909. The number of failures in
each year, the capital of the failed
banks, the amount assessed upon the
shareholders, the assets returned to
them and the loss to depositors are
among the items covered in this table.
The greatest loss came in 1898, $4519, ,000.
Since 1897 the total loss has been but d
little over $1,000,000.
A table comparing the principal items
Of the New York city national banks
with those of all national banks from
1867 to 1909 shows that whereas in 1867
the New York city national banks held
Al per cent of the total deposits OF the
country, they now hold but 81 The
most detailed study in the part dealing
with banks and banking IS a table Civ
ing the weekly statement of the clear
ing house banks of New York from 1867
to 1909 From 1890 to 1909 the weekly
York market are given.
Some very striking facts are brought
out in a table giving the average gold
holdings of the Reichsbank, the Bank
of England, the Bank of France and
the United States treasury from 1878 to
1909 In 1895 the Bank Of France held
the largest stock Of gold, 1884, 900
the Bank Of England being second with
$188, 100000, the Relchsbank third with
$167, 100000 and the United States treas
ury last with $137 000 900. Now the
United States treasury stands first with
the enormous sum Of 1.042 900, 900, the
figures for 1903; France second with
S7O6, 900, 600, the Reichsbank third with
Sl93, 100000, and the Bank of England
last with $1S2,O00,000.
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GOOD SCHEME