St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1916-12-09
BANK DEPOSITS TO
TuIAL HUGE sum
Never So Much Money on De
post in This City Before in
It's History
TWO MILLIONS OR MORE Is
CONSERVATIVE ESTIMATE
Regular Annual Reports, Soon to
be Issued, Will Show More
Cash on Hand Than Best
of Previous Years

W. WCCAc dSO GnC tWO uatlOi'
al banks of this city published
their regular statements on the
call of the bank examiner. The
three state banks here are due to
issue their statements at an
early date. and while no accurate
figures can De given as to the re-
sources and deposits Of these
banks and the total of all five of
the local institutions, yet we are
informed by a reliable party that
q conservative estimate of the to-
tai deposits will show not less
then two millions of dollars.
If this figure is reached and
our informant said he was under
rather than over the mark-it
will indicate to the world that
city has more actual cash on
hand IN it's banks than ever be-
fore in its HISTORY. A question
puzzling many is, what will be
done with this vast sum of cash?
Heretofore the farmers have
been ready borrowers from the
banks and private money lend
ers. The great trouble the banks
experienced was in securing en-
ough cash to meet the demands
Of their customers who Wishsed
to borrow. Now, as is well
known. the farmers have cash
plenty of it-and will not have
to borrow, except in a few scat
tered instances. In fact, instead
Of having to borrow, the farmer
is now often times a lender and
has entered the banking business
on small scale himself Those
who are not lending money are
investing their surplus cash in
real estate, paying old debts ana
improving their present holdings
Of real estate.
The farmers financial condi-
ton is always reflected by his
ability to purchase necessary ar
tic1es. When he is flush = he
buys lumber in great quantities,
vehicles, work stock, clothing,
etc. These commodities in large
quantities have been sold in this
city and all the surrouding towns
and villages this season. The
business menIthe merchants, the
lumber dealers, the dealers in
mules and horses and the imple-
ment men-are doing a thriving
trade with the farmer and he
ism t asking for credit but is pay
ing spot cash in the good old
long green.
We referred editorially to this
matter in our issue Of lost Satur-
day-what is to be done with all
this cash Now is the time, we
believe, when the money men and
the banks doing conservative
and safe business to invest their
funds in the upbuiding of the
country. There will be little de-
mand for oans from former bor-
rowers and if this money is to be
wisely and safely invested it
could be put to no better use than
in the upbuilding Of Opelousas
and st. Landry parish. There is
a great field here for deyelonent
and factories suitable to the re-
quirements and resources of the
country could be built and return
a handsome income on the money
Louisiana is the "Queen State
of the south. It's acres are more
fertile and its natural resources
far ahead of it's sister states III
Dixie. It has gone through and
just emerged from long period
Of depression financial and agra-
cultural-and today is is simply
wallowing in prosperity. People
are not kicking much about the
high cost of living for they have
money and the price to be paid
IS a small item when the money
is on hand. Besides, the farmers
are living at home and reaping
the benefit of the high prices for
food products for they have those
products for sale-they don t
have to buy, and of course they
don t have to borrow. Of course
Mr.. Banker and Mr.. Money-lend-
er they are not much worried
whether you lend your cash or
not, but as public spirited clti-
zens. with an eve single to the
best interests of the country at
large, they would like to see its
manufacturing possibilities de-
yeloped to the limit. Can't YOU
see the light before youg The
farmers eyes are open, what
about yoGurs