The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1919-12-13
WAR HAD NO BAD
 EFFECT ON U. s.
 BANK CONDITIONS
Entire Banking System in Good Shape After Two
 Years of Turmoil.

Washington, D. C., Dec. 12.---Ffnan- cfers and experts in financial matters here and in larger banking cities of the country are commenting on the favorable financial conditions in the United States after the countrys two year participation in the greatest war in history. Not only has the Fed eraI Reserve system met every de- mand for elasticity and safe ex- pansion but the close scrutiny of fed eraI officials has added to the security and stability of the entire banking institution. During the past fiscal year there were more than 18,000,00O de- positors in our national banks, and, according to recent report of the Comptroller of the Currency, not penny was lost to a depositor through the failure of a national bank throughout the entire year.
 The 18.240,30 depositors (by actual count on June 30, 1919) had placed a total of S15,924, ,865, 1000 in the keep ing of federal banks. In these banks there had been but one failure since January 1, 1918-only one failure, in fact, in the last twenty one months. Their deposits represented an in crease of 119 per cent or $8,767,S28, 253-nearly nine billion dollars, since the same date in 1919-again of prac- tically a billion dollars a year. Dur ing the same period the number of depos1tors entrusting their money to the Federal banks rose 137 per cent; or from 1890, 46S separate accounts to the total of over 18,0Oo, 900. This was an increase of 10,549,S32 de- positors.
 While there are a great many de- positors who have duplicate accounts, the figures obtained from the Comp troller's report show the great ex- pansion of wealth was among the masses of the people during the past nine years As further evidence of how general this expansion actually has. been, the figures on total deposits divided among the number of deposi- tors show that while in 1910 the aver age amount on deposit for each de positor was S6S9.47, the report for June of this year puts the average deposit at $651.92, or very close to the figure of nine years ago, indicat- ing a broader distribution of wealth. Reports from banks, not m e1n bers of the national system, and number ing 21, 175 as against the 7,705 na- | tional banks in operation, and the r. l 881 authorized, show that on June l 29, 1918 these institutions held de- posits totalling S17.750, 0,1O4.756.43. ! These banks also have had success
 full operation under federal super vision.
 This marked advance in the breadth
 and stability of banking interests has
 occurred during the period in which
 the Democrats have been in control
 and these results are directly trace | able to the Federal Reserve system
 inaugurated by the Democratic party
 more than to, any other cause. What 1 is accepted as a sure index to Ithe 1 safety of Democratic administration of the country's finances is the grad ual decline in the number of ma tional bank failures in the period ol | Democratic control. There were eigh national bank failures in 1914. The
 number was reduced to half tha
 number in 1915. In 1916 and 191i
 there were three failures recorded fol
 each year. There has been only one