Evening star., 1915-03-28

The capital Of the six trust COM
panies, thirteen national banks and
eighteen savings institutions doing
business in the District of Columbia. is
s17.s7o.s1s. divided as follows: Trust
companies, $10,o00,oo0: national banks.
s6.977, 900; savings institutions. $685.
916.
The s1irplus of all the banks is $12.-
221. 1927. of which the trust companies
have s4.s0o.000: the national banks.
$5,142,250. and the savings concerns.
$27s,s77.
Undivided profits are s2.3s7.52s. dis
tributed s1,152.167 to trust companies.
ss94.141 to national banks and s341.221
to savings banks.
These institutions have invested in
banking houses, furniture and fixtures
s11.s5s.14o. Of which the trust com
tional banks. $3,463,e0o-
The total loans Of all institutions
March 4. from the reports. made to
the controller of the currency on that
date, were s60,529.593.
Trust companies have $9,000,000 in
vested in bonds. and but $4,000 IN
stocks. including premium. National
banks have sS,543,3S9 Invested in bonds,
a considerable portion of which are
governments.
Seeking Information.
A correspondent asks for Information
regarding the possible early payment OF
a dividend to shareholders in the United
States Trust Company The matter is
one on which no correct report can be
made at this time.
the extent of paying of all depositors
of the institution. during the period
when the conduct of the affairs of the
institution was In the hands of the
Munsey Trust Company.
On the order of the court the remain
ing assets were placed In the hands OF
a receiver, who is making some prog
reSS in collections.
Millions Of Credit.
In the conduct Of the banking busi-
ness. there is, naturally, millions OF
credit. 1t has been stated, officially,
that there are $4,000, 100000 of cash in
the United States and that there are
nearly $4,000, 100000 of bank depos-
it's
This is an evidence that $4,000 Of
apparent" deposits are simply credit,
based on the actual cash Of less than
25 per cent OF the amount.
The handling of credits is one OF the
most important functions of the bank
er. and on his judgment must come the
success or failure of the institution
with which he is connected.
There have been comparatively few
failures of banks, due to the crooked
ness of officials or trusted employees.
The majority of failures have been due
to poor credits. lessening value of as
sets. failure of business men, etc. This
must be the more apparent because OF
the large amount of credit extended.
Bankers cannot be too careful in the
matter of credits. 1t is natural for
them to seek available credit informa-
tion wherever possible and to endeavor.
as local bankers havs, to secure the
fullest information of an applicants
business conditions, under oath: to Sc
cure collateral where possible and to
be watchful always.
Under the present system in force in
some of the larger cities of the en-
ployment of a bank examiner by the
local clearing house. 1t Is possible also
to establish credit information bu-
reau, where bank officials. In strict con-
fidence, would be able to obtain infor-
nation of the aggregate Indebtedness
of general borrowers.
Some of the heaviest borrowers In
the United States, great corporations,
have planned to register all paper made
by them with some trust company