Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-18
POSTAL SAVINGS
SYSTEM PLANNED
FOR PORTO RICO
P. O. Department Learns It Af-
fOrds Special Field for
Effort.
Its Introduction Marks Operation of
Banks in Every Foot of Terri
tory Under Uncle Sam Ex-
cept Alaska

AS part OF a general movement on the
part OF Postmaster General Burleson to
develop and expand the postal savings
system. the system is to be introduced
into Porto Rico at the post offices at
Aguadilla, Arecibo, Bayamon, .Caguas,
Cayey. Fajardo, Guayama, Humacao,
Manati, Mayaguez Ponce. Rio Piedras,
San German. San Juan and Yauco Janu-
airy :. 1914. All the arrangements look
ing to this end are being pushed as rap
idly as careful administration will per-
NIT by Third Assistant Postmaster Cen
eral Dockery and Director Carter B.
keene Of the postal savings system.
As far back as 1910, the house Of dele
gates of Porto Rico requested that any
legislation looking to the establishment
OF postal savings banks in the United
States be made applicable to Porto Rico
as we'll Mr.. Keene, then inspector in
charge at Washington and now the di-
rector of the system, January 50, 1912
after an investigation of the conditions in
the island. reported as follows:
Il find that there is a growing demand
among the Porto Rlcans for postal say
irsgs repositories, especially at points OH
the island where there are no banking fla.
cilties. Inspector Hathaway informs me
that on his tours among the post offices
here he finds many instances OF the pur-
chase of money orders for savings pur-
poses.
One Porto Rican letter carrier converts
all his savings into money orders, fire.
Quenty having orders to the value OF
several hundred dollars on hand Large
numbers of immigrants from European
countries which have postal savings sys-
TENS are coming to the island, and they
are particularly interested in the install
lation of the service here"
Win Benefit Two Glasses.
From other sources. it is said, the de-
partment learned that there is a special
field for the encouragement. OF thrift and
economy not only among the working
people, but even in the middle classes in
Porto Rico. many of whom have never ap-
preciated the value of the habit of saving
They have had no places conveniently
situated. no banks or other institutions
where small savings could be deposited
at interest. properly secured and guaran-
teed by law
The need of stimulus along these
lines, it is said. is particularly noticeable
.BC
years ago the educational department OF
the island government initiated system
of savings in connection with the
schools as an experiment The scholars
it is said. took hold of ii with rare en-.
thusiaSin, and to such an extent that the
deposits increased with remarkable rapid.
ity TO an aggregate amount so large as
to cause apprehension lest some irregu-
larify might develop in the absence of a
bonded responsibility OH the part of those
having custody, of the funds. The lack
of such responsibility and of the gov.
ernmental guaranty prompted the discon.
tinuance OF the enterprise. notwithstand-
ing IL promised great benefits 10 the
students and school children, as we'll as
TO the teacher who were awaiting them.
selves of 1t.
IL has been learned by tho department
that the supervising authorities of the
public school I'm Porto Rico are much in
torested in the Introduction of the postal
savings system. with Its guaranty of alb.
soiute safety blythe national government
and that they will lend enthusiastic sup.
port to the department in making it a
success.
In February. of the current year the
department sent representative to the
island with q view to perfectng arrange.
ments for the introduction of the sys.
CONTINUED on Third Page)