The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1915-06-24
Washington Letter

QuencY with WHICH the post oIllCe NC
partment makes elaborate announce
ment Of the success Of the postal savings
bank, and its elfusiveness in laudation
Of that branch OF the service, might
lead some people to believe that the
democratic party was the originator Of
that governmental aid to small savings.
1t will be surprising, therefore, to those
who are not familiar with the facts,
when the record is brought forward TO
show that the postal savings bank law
was enacted with almost unanimous
opposition on the part Of democratic
senators and representatives.
Examination OF the record in this
regard is particularly opportune in view
Of the recent declaration Of President
Wilson that the republican party has
not had new idea for thirty years.
The postal savings bank law, in the
form in which it was enacted, must
certainly have been republican idea
as distinguished from a democratic
idea, for it was passed by republicans
over the protest Of democrats.
This measure was enacted in 1910,
and signed by President Taft on June
18th Of that year. 1t was reported to
the senate by a republican committee,
and passed by tina, body BY vote Of
fifty to twenty two, every affirmative
vote except one being by republican
and every adverse vote being cast by
a democtat. OF those senators who
were paired, every democrat was paired
against, and every republican in favor
Of the bill.
A similar situation confronted the
measure on its arrival in the House.
1t passed that body after considerable
debate by vote Of 195 to l02, party
lines being very strictly observed.
Among these distinguished gentle
men who voted agains, the bill were
A. S. Burleson, the present postmaster
general; Champ Clark Of Missouri, the
then minority leader and present speak
er Of the House; Congressman Moon
OF Tennessee, the then ranking mem
Der Of the House post Office commit
tee and now chairman Of the commit
tee; Representative Fitzgerald Of New
York, the present leader Of the demo
ocratic side Of the house; and Mr..
Oscar w. Underwood, the newly elect
ed senator from Alabama,
Few measures in that congress were
fought more bitterly by the democrats
than was the postal savings bank bill.
All sorts Of evil in government and
finance were predicted as a result ol
the enactment Of such policy into
law. The principal arguments made
against the bill were that it would lead
to the establishment Of central bank,
that money would be drawn from pri-
vate banks to be deposited in the
postal savings bank, and that money
would be drawn from the outlying
communities to the CONNER
cial centers. But time and exper'
fence have demonstrated the wisdom
OF those republican leaders who framed
the legislation, pushed it to enactment,
and put it into operation. No small
measure OF their reward is in witnessing
the long delayed acknowledgement or
the part Of the democrats that this leg
islation was wise and beneficial.
As a piece OF permanent constructive
Legislation, it will stand as a testimony
10 the efficiency Of a republican con
gress and republican president. Al
though the original act has beer
amended in some minor parts, it still
stands on the statute books in its orig
inal form, aud any proposed change
are a matter Of detail and not OF tunda
mental importance.
Oregon bankers are trying to inter
est farmer boys in pork production b,
loanipg them money on notes, proper
ly secured, the money TO be investet
in good breeding hogs. The plan i
an excellen. one, not only for tn
farmer, but for the banker as well
But while getting the farmer boy in
Il D.. e.. \