The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-01-03
WAR PROSPERITY.

WAN FHOOFEnII r.
The world war was worth one mil
lion dollars year to Maury county,
calculating it on basis of cold cash.
1t is improper to make comparisons
of the cost and benefits of the war
as between the contributions of SER
vice on the part of the boys who en-
tered the army and navy and the
material or financial gains. Such
comparison is unthinkable. But with
out taking into consideration the
noble service and sacrifice of the men
and women Of the county during the
war, for this comment we would di-
rect the attention of the people to the
lesser but very impressive fact that
from material standpoint the war
has been blessing to Maury county
Figures read at the Maury National
Bank luncheon Tuesday reveal that
the visible cash wealth Of Manry
county increased approximately ST.
100000 from August 1914, to Decemb
er 1918, or about $1,000,000 a year.
Seventy-five per cent of this increase
was since America entered the war in
April, 1917. Bank deposits alone in
creased from $1,66S,472 in August
1914, to $2,104,054, in April 1917,
and to $3,533,297 in December 1918.
This amazing increase occurred with
out preventing Maury countians from
subscribing to $1,eOO,000 worth of Lib
erty Bonds and 100000 worth of War
Savings Stamps, or total of $780,
900 in government securities, which
are now part of the county's wealth.
At the same time the people contri-
buted generously to war causes such
as the Red Cross, Y. nj. c. A., United
War Work, Belgian and other relief
funds, amounting in the aggregate to
more than 100000.
None of these figures take into con-
sideration great increase in live
stock and farm products yet unsold
and other additions to the wealth OF
the county that cannot be counted as
cash assets which, perhaps, would APP
proximate fully one-half the amount
in the banks and government securi-
ties if converted into cash.
= ,,hfo b1a foafrtra re tbic inaroo
in wealth, as pointed out by ]. f.
Brownlow, cashier of the Maury Ma
tional Bank, is the fact that Marry
county no longer finds it necessary to
go to the money markets of the east
to secure operating capital, but is in
fact lending money to the big indus
trial corporations elsewhere.
No matter what conditions may pre-
vail in the finances of the country
during the next - months, Maury
county is safe. The business interests
of this county are bulwarked against
any possible disaster.
No con sideration of this splendid
financial condition can be given with
out the realization that decidedly the
greater portion of this increased
wealth has come to the county in
exchange for farm products. Most OF
the surplus money held here is III the
hands of the farmers. They are the
ones who have profited most from the
trade conditions created by the war.
| Other business interests have prosper
ed only as they have dealt with the
I farmers.
Maury county begins the new year
with the greatest prosperity it's peo-
pie have ever known. Conditions are
favorable for another good crop year
and there is no reason to believe that
farm products will decline materially
in price during the next twelve
months. BY the time another year has
passed fully another million dollars
will have been added to the wealth
of the county.