Evening journal., 1913-12-08
Banks and People WeaIfhier--
Have You Got Your S9.5O7
BY the United press.


WASHINGTON, Dec. S.-Thcre is
plenty Of money in the United States.
People are apparently saving moro
than they used to. And the banks, as
a rulg, are richer
These werc the salient points in
the annual report OF the Comptroller
of the Currency, submitted to Con-
gress today. The document Il replete
with statistics of dazzling millions.
II shows that on June 30 last If all the
money in circulation, exclusive Of the
treasury reserves, were divided
amcng the population. every citizen
would have s34.56. That per capita
wealth Is greater than il has been for
a number Of years.
If the wealth in the treasury were
divided among tho people, every man
would get $9.5S. That is the highest
per capita amount since 1908.
In number, capital AMI deposits, the
banks of the country have grown con-
siderably since a year ago. On June
30 1912. there were 28,995 banks,
with y2.0SO.8 ,505 capital and ST.
] i84 OCT SOS deposits A year later the
totals were3 Banks, 29,254; capital,
S216l, ,s49,S61; deposits, S17935,704,
i134. Moreover. the banks have made
more money. Based on capital and
surplus, the gross earnings of nation
al banks during the fiscal year we're
greater by over two per cent. than
during the prior year. Will there
has been notable depreciation in the
market value Of standard and other
securities. necessitating a cut in the
undivided profit account OF the banks,
shareholders OF national banks receiv-
I'd dividends at She average OF 11.4
per cent. as against an average Of
11.01 per cent for the prior five years.
Acting Comptroller Kane points in
his report to the gigantic increasing
in banking activity in recent years.
Since 1900 the number Of banks in
operation has increased by over 109
Iper cent. and their volume OF bust
ness. as indicated by deposits, shows
an increase of over 1873 per cent The
banking power Of the United States in
1913 as represented by capital. sur
plus and other profits. deposits and
circulation OF national and other re-
porting banks. together with the esti-
mated amounts Of funds of this char
acter IN non-reporting banks. Is $685.
1S1.545,4SS against $f2,54S,706,S55 in
1912.
Savings deposits" Comptroller
Kane asserts, "are supposed 10 repre-
sent chiefly the accumulations OF
wage earners and other people OF
moderate means. and by reason Of
this fact statistics are of special in
terest Savings deposits in all banks
Increased from S6.496, 192.707 IN June,
1919, to s6.972. .O6e. .217 on June 80 last.
The increase was seven per cent"
The aggregate deposits in all banks
on June A, 1913. roundly stated. were
$17, AIS, 100000. so It will be seen that
the savings account plays big part
IN the total of bank deposits. IL IS
lestimated in the report that on June
z, 1911, there we're 17.6O0,000 such
savings accounts, and it Is probable
this number has been largely in
creased during two YEARS. The aver
age per depositor reported from saw
lines banks N 1918 was s4S0.07.
Kane reported only six insolvent
lnational banks during the year ended
October 81. lie matie no reconhmenda-
llions for now ieEislation, decla1ing
such recommendations inadvlstble''
In view OF the pendency in Congress
lust now OF the currency bill.