Polk County news-gazette. (Benton, Tenn.) 190?-191?, 1914-03-05


that the second loan was given to en-
able the borrower to send a bright,
fourteen-year-old son to school, for
the purpose of better qualifying him
as a wage Garner. The plan had sue
ceeded The boy had been at school
eight months, had done well, had Sc
cured position, and was now so sit
uated that he could assist, and was
assisting, in the repayment of the
loan. The inspector, on understand
ing the purpose of the second loan'
Endorsed it as a perfectly legitimate
one, and sanctioned the action of the
committee.
Marrying Money.
AS to another case, one of the men,
bers said: He's all right; he is go
ing to be married and it's a fine girl
he gets and a bit of money, about Is
pounds she'll bring him, too, and that
will help to pull him through and
make the payments"
OF another delinquent a member
said: "a sister was long time all
ing, and after long sickness she
died, poor child. He's fine boy, hon.
est as the day is long. He's decent
fellow. We can't crowd him. He's
had a hard time. He's doing all he
can, and will pay as sure as the sun
rises"
Buying Pigs.
OF another case the inspector said:
Here's a guard on the. train who Dor
rowed money from US for the pur-
chase of pigs. He hasn't time to tend
hogs, has he?" Back came the reply:
Sure. any of US that has wife and
a home can keep pigs If he wants to.
It's as easy to keep pigs as it is to
keep home at all" 1t appeared,
however, that no pigs had been
bought by the train guard; that rel
alive had bought pigs, presumably
with the money borrowed. There was
no danger at all as to the repayment
of the loan, the sureties being good.
Fraud had been practiced, however,
and the committee were not at all
complacent about their part in the
matter, feeling they had been too easy
in making the loan. This particular
brakeman would have poor chance
if he ever asked for another loan. And
SO the committee proceeded sympa-
thetically considering each individu-
al case, deciding each upon it's own
merits, irrespective of what are con-
sidered in America to be general
banking rules. 1t must be borne in
mind that the cases referred to were
few delinquents among very large
number which were promptly settled.
What Money Is Used For.
Many of the loans had been for
the purchase of seeds and manures in
the previous spring. Some of the
members had purchased pigs; some
times COW was secured One had
bought a horse, one had built a COW
shed. On the whole the rule that
loans could be made only for pro-
ductive and economic use was well OBJ
served.
TITS hard to crowd the boys said
one of the members. "Ah, that's the
trouble with US Irish" replied the In
spector. But good business means
good business, although 1t is hard to
be harsh at ALL" South of Ireland
we're not altogether
convinced that harshness was wis |
dom, and the answer came back: did
you ever know of harshness to be any |
good at ALP"
Some Harshness Necessary.
The inspector, VINO, in our previous
conversation with him, had seemed
the most easy tempered young man,
developed a considerable severity
when appearing before the committee.
He kept insisting that the delinquent
debtors must be dealt with more
harshly and in a more business-iike
way. In several cases he advised i'm
mediate legal proceedings unless
was done. He told them
that unless good business methods
prevailed q new committee must be
appointed or that the society would
get into trouble and would be closed
out. The attitude was more or less
for effect upon the committee. The
man raised in this section of Ireland
Ia go soft-hearted that he cannot be
haralE in his own matters, and 1t Is
indeed difflcult for him to be business
like when business-like methods In
volye hardness The committee took
the situation seriously to heart. how !