Mexico weekly ledger., 1920-10-21
Savings Stamps Sold Would
Pay for the Spanish War
and Build Panama Canal

tell or the sales OF the Wal Savings
Stamps issued by the United States
Government, and equally as amazing
is the tenaclty with which the inves-
tors In these small securities are hold
Ing on to them.
The most recent authoritative state
ment from Washington shows that the
total sales reached the tremendous
sum of 81, les, 20O,0 The same state
ment shows that Of this amount sold
the ~redemptions have reached a total
Of slightly more than $500, 100000. Or
that approximately $S0S, 100000, or 70
per cent of the small securities sold,
are being held by the original pur.
Chasers.
Figures are difficult to grasp unless
some comparison accompanies them.
Many of us will remember whSn we
entered upon the war with Spain, and
trembled ut the cost that might ac-
crlle. The war debt left by the
Spanish war Appropriated S300,OO0.-
eco.
AAOlC vi US VIII itIdll iIldI Wuell lllt
Panama Canal project was preached
and while it was building the cost
astOunded the world. And the cost
was approximately $400,000,0O0.
Thus 1t will be seen that the baby
bonds" even now held by Americans
exceeds the amount raised to prose
cute the Spanish-American War and
to build the Panama Canal.
Not many of us can recall the Civil
Wal days, Int the records show that
II co5t the Nation $l,2aO 100000 TO
prosecute the four years OF war in
America. And the sales Of The little
War Savings Stamps in less than two
years, and mostly aItcr the World War
was ended would pay for the preserva-
ton Of the Union.
Some people could not grasp how
the little twenty-five cent Thrift Stamp
could grow into the more dignifed War
Saving Stamp and Increase until thc
Government realized The enormous
sums necessary to conduct the affairs
If the Government with, and how
those making the Investment were
making such tremendous savings.
The upbuilding of the present or.
gani2ation, which Is a part of the
Treasury Department of the United
States, began when the War Loan Or
gani2ation vas created AT the begin.
ming of the World War. 1t did not as.
sumo u commanding position until
after the Liberty Loan Organizations
had completed their successful careers,
and millions Of people h"d learned the
lesson Of investing in L. S. SccuTi, les
The Liberty Loan organizations
were conducted on lines radically DIFF
fcrent from that now employed 10y the
Savings Division of the Treasury De
paUtment. Then there were quotas
established, and vast sums We're al
l0tted each state, county, city, town,
village aud community. A far-reach-
ing organization. with hundreds q
paid workers and thousands of vOluIl-
teers vas created, and tremendous
sums Of money were spent in intensive
and spectacular campaigns. They
more than realized the purposes for
which they were created, and they
paved the way for the present steady.
plOddinC and permanent work that is
hearing much more fruit than the
most enthusiastic had hoped for,
In each of the twelve Federal Re.
serve cities of the United States there
is now in successful operation a branch
Of the Savings Division Of the United
States Treasury Department. The
organization Of these branches fol.
lowed the Liberty Loan organizations.
and took up the equipment, and such
cf the methods rs could be utilized
were adopted. The office forces Were
reduced to a minimum, and the utmos,
economy is observed in the conduct 81
these branches.
A campaign Of education has bee
in steady progress from the inception
but this has been so linked with The
active Sntr of the securities that white
the people We're hring taught the vet
umc of saleS Of The securities was suciI
that the appropriations 10 continue The
business was warranted l.! good bust
ness rules.
Not only has the Government beer
able to draw from the people the vast
sums needed for the reconstruction
period, but the people have saved the
money thus invested, and millions u
Americans in every state have beef
taught the value and necessity of say
ing. .
Perhaps the most permanent work
and from which the Nation will prof
for many generations, is the work tina
has been done, and Is still being dont
more and more each year, In thu
schools of the country. In the Eighth
Federal Reserve District the schools
of the three states are organized ant
lessons in thrift are being taught as
part of the regular curriculum, and II
carrying the theory into practice
many hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars in Thrift Stamps are being bough
by the pupils, who are thus taught les
SON of thrift and finance that coult
be taught in no other way.
In the steady campaign ha ha
been waged since the end Of the wa
the newspapers of Missouri, Arkansa
and Kentucky have played an import
ant part. Despite the high cost of pape
and the scarcity Of labor, scores o
newspapers have kept their column
open to the Government for the dis
sanitation Of i~nform9tion that woul
make the public familiar with the aim
of the Treasury Department. TIL
newspapers have thus rendered a loya