The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1920-11-05
Savings Stamps Sold Would
Pay for the Spanish War
and Build Panama Canal

Stamps issued by the United States
Government, and equally as amazin,
IL the tenacity 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 $1,16S, 200 600 THE same state
iment5 shows that Of this amount sold
the redemptions have reached n total
of slightly more than $300,O0O00O. Or
that approximately $S0S, 100000, or 75
per cent of the small securities sold
are being held by the original pur.
chasers. St..
Figures are difficult to grasp unless
some comparison accompanies them.
Many of us will remember when we
entered upon the war with Spain, and
trembled at the cost that might &C.
crue. The war debt left by the
Spanish war Appropriated $30O,OO0,-
600.
More of us will recall that when the
Panama Canal project was preached
and while it was building the cost
| astounded the world. And the cost
was approximately $4O0,O0O,O0O.
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
War days, but the records show that
1t cost the Nation $1,290, 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 after the World War
was ended would pay for the preserya.
ton of the Union.
Some people could not grasp how
the little twenty-five cent Thrift Stamp
could grow into the more dignified War
Saving Stamp and increase until the
Government realized the enormous
of the Government with, and how
those making the investment were
making such tremendous savings.
The upbuilding OF the present or
ganizatiOn, which is part of the
Treasury Department OF the United
States, began when the War Loan Or
ganization was created at the begin
ming of the World War. 1t did not as
sumo "a commanding position until
after the Liberty Loan Organizations
had completed their successful careers,
and millions of people had learned the
lesson of investing In U. S. securities.
The Liberty Loan organizations
were conducted on lines radically DIFF
ferent from! that now employed by the
Savings Division of the Treasury De-
partment. Then there were quotas
and vast sums were al
lotted each state, county, city, town,
village and community. A far-reach-
ing organization, with, hundreds of
paid workers and thousands of volun-
teers was 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,
plOdding and permanent work that is
bearing 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 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
of the methods as, could be utilized
were adopted. The office forces were
to a minimum, and the utmost |
economy is observed in the conduct of |
these branches.
A campaign of education has been |
In steady progress from the inception, |
but this has been so linked with the |
active sale of the securities that while |
the people were being taught the vol
ume of sales of the securities was such
LHht lhe appropriations 10 continue tlle |
business was warranted by good bust
hess rules.
Not only has the Government been
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 of
in every state have been
taught the value and necessity of saw
Ing.
Perhaps the most permanent work,
and from which the Nation will profit
FOR many generations, is the work that
has been done, and is still being done
more and more each year, in the
schools of the country. In the Eighth
Reserve District the schools
Of the three states are organized and
lessons in thrift are being taught as a
part of the regular curriculum, and in
the theory into practice
many hundreds of thousands of dol
lars in Thrift Stamps are being bought
by the pupils, who are thus taught les
sons Of thrift and finance that could
ye> taught In no other way.
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