The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1912-01-05
Writes About Money and Banks
Wenatchee Wash, Jan. l, 10

10 the commercial CLUBS anu tne
oranges Of this vicinity and also the
Christian people:
Having been a member Of each of
your bodies in different localities, /
wish to call your attention to our pres
emit condition in a public manner, as
this is time of year when we cant do
much else but talk. l have watched
your efforts for the advancement OF our
interests with a great deal Of hopes for
the future but after three or four years
of very strenuous efforts how do we
find ourselves to day and what has
been the result OF our efforts. / think
if I am not mistaken that we had more
actual settlers who bought lands two
years ago than we have had the year
just closed, and if this is so then what
is the cause. Was our labor wrong or
our design evil. Would it have been
better if we had kept still and saved
our money, or have we been playing a
bunco game and our prospective set
tiers got wise to the facts in the deal.
I think that I can say for one and all
that we have intended to injure no one
and that our valley has proved as good
as we have represented it to be, that
our crops have not failed, our fruit has
not decreased in quality or in price,
and that we can truthfully say that we
have one of the richest valleys in the
northwest. Well then what is the
matter with US. There surely is some
thing wrong and it is of such nature
that we are afraid to discuss it or to
mention it in public even in whisper.
Why is it that in this land Of plenty
that it is so hard to collect few debts.
When the banks get their fingers on
the money they send it east, and what
is done with it there, Of course, is none
OF our business. But if it went into
circulation in the east could not the
fasteners come here and purchase Of
US. Are the banks loosing confidence
in our valley and are they striving to
get their money out so as to get away,
or are they just wanting some little law
passed to help them out just little,
and ashamed to ask for it openly. Mr..
Hill at Spokane told Mr.. Taft that his
banking laws would not work, and Shaw
of Iowa said that if it was passed they
could afford to pay the nationalsdebt
Well now then it seems to me it is
time that we sat up and took notice.
II they are asking for something that
is so valuable to them then what does
it mean to US. Is their interest the
same as ours, or do we stand on differ
ent sides. These things we should
consider long and earnestly before we
hand them out free. But what is it to
US if our money does go east and is
locked up in some vault, is there not
just as much money as ever? Sure
thing, but the money that is locked up
does not do any business. 1t is true
that it is there and they can get it if
they want to, but we cant, and if they
continue to hord up this money for
another six months as they are at pres
ent it will cripple every one in this ma
ton but themselves. But will the
banker suffer also1 No, when he sees
fit to bring this money out our property
will have shrunk in value till he can
purchase as much again as he could
when he locked it up, and then what
will we be doing while it is in the vault.
II we have no money to work with can
we exist. Well, that is about all. In
the meantime the banker will probably
get some law for his advantage and
then he will allow US to build up again
for season. Now you will ask if we
are dependent upon the banker. Sup
pose you answer that. I will say we
are dependent on money for our pros
perity and if we are so foolish as to
let the banker manage it for US so that
he can break US when ever he wants to
do so whose fault is it. We are largely
in the majority and we have him to feed
as we'll as ourselves, but if these are
facts and it is our money and it is so
essential to our welfare, then what is
money and why do we say, our money.
Think it over for while and if no one