davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
AUGUST l CROP REPORT

The Wisconsin potato crop is esti-
mated to be 81 per cent of last years
harvest, according to the August re-
port of the State and Federal Crop
and Livestock Reporting Service at
Madison. This reduction is brought
about by a cut of II per cent in acre
age and by a lower condition. The
forecast of the United States crop is
16 percent below last years produc-
ton, but only per cent below the
average production of the previous
five years.
Farmers in Wisconsin report the
Aug. l condition of potatoes as 80 per
cent of normal, which is ten points
below last years condition. Rainfall
has been very uneven and condition
of the crop is. accordingly spotted,
depending on the amount OF local
showers. The crop, made poor growth
in the central part of the state during
the hot, dry periods of July. In the
northern part of the state the drOuth
was less severe and the crop is more
promising. The forecast for the Wis
consin crop is q million bushels as
compared to Al million bushels last
year and q million bushels in 1921.
only one SLaCe OIL Tue ledulHS pOtd-
to states show an increased produc-
ton, the crop prospect in Maine be-
ing 20 per cent above last year. Re
auctions of IA per cent in Minnesota,
20 per cent in North Dakota, % per
cent in Michigan, and 10 per cent in
New York are indicated by the condi
ton and acreage of the crop in those
states.
Tobacco Crop Larger Than 1922.
Wisconsin tobacco on August l in
dictates a crop of so million pounds,
compared to 46 million pounds last
year and 81 million pounds in 1921.
Condition of the crop on August 1
was 81 per cent of normal,-the same
condition as last year. Weather con-
ditions at time of planting were rath-
er unfavorable, and together with dry
weather the plants are somewhat
short
The tobacco crop forecast for the
United States is II per cent above
last years production and s per cent
above the five-year average produc-
ton
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
Comm. of Banking
Explains Position
Illegal Methods Severely Censured
Department Makes Examination Not AuditBankers Have No
Right to Make Loans to Selves-OutIines Duties.

In a circular letter State Banking
Commissioner D. t. Parker recently
expressed his views on country bank
ing to every bank in the state, en-
phasizing several matters of import
ance. Mr.. Parker places particular
stress on the responsibility of direc-
tors. The greater portion of the COM
munication is reproduced herewith:
"Since assuming the duties of Com
missioner of Banking it has been ny
though to communicate with you, a.
the earliest possible moment in rela-
ton to those matters pertinent to
general banking in which we are alike
concerned.
cat the outset l wish to extend cor
dial greetings to you and to commend
you heartily for the splendid record
you have made in placing the banks of
our state among the safest in the
Union, and to assure you that you
will have my earnest cooperation in
every way and in every thing that
makes for sound and constructive
banking.
Coming fresh from the field Of
country banking l feel that l am con-
versant with the rural bankers prob
lens. And, in every instance where
they may be facing embarrassing stu
ations through no fault of their own,
but due rather to conditions over
which they have but little control,
shall be tolerant. But in those cases
where trouble is traceable to gross ir-
Irregularities in the conduct Of their al
fairs and to wilful violations of the
ft,,ir IN, OffO r..
to bring them to full realization OF
their official responsibilities.
II want to impress upon you the
vital Importance of placing your lOaES
with utmost care. When possible, en1
rarely it will be found otherwise, your
money should be leaned to the people
of your own community. l refer now
more particularly to the rural banker
whose loaning power is small. BY so
doing, you are advancing your local
interest in building up your town and
assisting your farmers and mer-
chants who in turn are your deposl-
tors, the ones who are aiding in the
building of your bank. In so loaning,
you are keeping your money at home
where it was created and where it
rightfully belongs.
Outside investments should never
appeal to you. In remote cases where
your loanable funds can not be alb
sorbed locally and you deem it advis-
able to seek investments elsewhere,
you should scrutiniZe with great care
the character of paper and securities
you contemplate purchasing. Bonds
and notes offered by promoters and
agents, unless they and the company
they represent are well known to you
to be responsible and reputable, ought
never to receive your consideration.
While investments in real estate mort
cages, or bonds secured by such mort
cages outside Wisconsin and contig-
uous states, are prohibited by the
banking laws, it would be highly ad-
visable to confine ALL your loans,
whether real or personal, to your own
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22

defects remedied disease controlled
and poverty swept away. None exist
because they need be. We can see
human life happy and interested but
not satisfied with itself or its accom-
plishments.
Nearly thirty centuries ago the
Hellenes, great experimenters in the
science Of living as they were, caught
this vision of fine community develop
ment At no time in the golden age
that historians love to dream and
talk Of, did the cities of Greece con-
tain aany great number Of citizens.
They were small and could therefore
intensity. Their art and their ideal
ism have affected the generations OF
five and twenty centuries and inspire
us today. In the end Greece became
miIitaristic, ruled all and lost all.
The Greeks lacked two things that
humanize and help us. One is Chris
tianity and the other is Democracy.
With these two sustaining STATS the
small community Of today has Won
derful opportunity. The first thing is
to see this. The second is to work
for it,
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
RAILROAD ''TECS" SEEK
YOUTHFUL CAR BANDITS

FOND DU LAC.-Dodge county Off
Gals as well as special agents of the
North Western railroad are MAXIM
an effort to locate two boys, who, at
ter series of robberies at Lebanon
and Dalton in Dodge county, tried to
wreck the Chicago limited on the
North Western road near Lebanon.
A hand car was left standing on the
track over which the fast train runs.
Evidence shows that the two boys,
said to be escaped inmates of the
Waukesha industrial school, crouch
ed on an overhead bridge to watch the
wrecking of the train. When their
plot failed the boys left behind them
a fiashlight and other personal eff
fectS.
The train struck the hand car and
the pilot and other parts of the front
of the locomotive were demolished
while the hand car was a mass of
wreckage.
simultaneously with the report of
an attempt to wreck the train, dis
covery was made that several stores
at Lebanon and Dalton had been en-
tered and robbed.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
PRIVATE DANCE 'PUBLIC"
RULING ON NEW LAW

MADISON.-The new dance hall
law, requiring all dance halls to pay
a license and forbidding minors from
attending dances, is raising a number
of questions concerning its admins
tratiOn
By a ruling of the attorney general
given out recently, this law is held to
apply to all dances to which the pub
lie is admitted upon payment of an
entrance fee 1t makes no difference
if private individuals or private or
CARNATIONS give the dance if admis-
SION is charged they are classified as
public dances.
The decision was rendered on re-
quest of Deputy Attorney General r.
M. Rieser to R. EWard, district attor
ney of Brown county, Green Bay. If
private individuals or organizations
give dances with a limited number in
vited the dance does not come under
the law, the opinion held.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22

state. Many bankers are at this mo-
ment regretting by sad experience
that they hadn't rigidly followed such
policy. Millions of dollars are lost an
nually to the banks of Wisconsin
through the purchase Of speculative
securities. Will some bankers never
learn?
For advice in the selection of in
vestments, you should consult your
city correspondents. They will at all
times be glad of an opportunity to ad-
wise and counsel with you in matters
of this nature, and will choose, by rea-
son Of their experience and familiarity
with investments, such only as are
sound and well secured.
"a practice endangering the solven-
cy of banks is that of its officers Dor
rowing its funds for their individual
use. The real purpose of a bank is to
provide a safe and convenient place
for people to deposit money and where
also they may obtain funds to assist
them in conducting their business al
fairs The bank profits in this inter
change of money between depOsitor
and borrower by the difference in in
terest paid and received and from
other legitimate sources. Its main
function is to serve the public and to
make reasonable profits for itself, and
here its real purpose should end. The
law never contemplated the Organlza-
ton of banks as a mere convenience
for financing the private undertakings
of it's officers.
mo active official of a bank has the
moral right, nor should he have the
legal right, to appropriate depositors'
and stockholders money either direct
ly or indirectly, for his personal bene-
fit. Any banker violating this policy
is pursuing a dangerous course, and
while he may escape disaster, he is
nevertheless headed in that direction,
since the large majority of bank fail
ures are traceable directly to sucn
practice. Along this line a distinctive
demarkation may invariably be drawn
between good and bad banking.
''Now as to the legal responsibility
of bank directors: To be a director
of bank is to assume the discharge
of very important duty, that of di-
recting, as the name implies, the af-
fairs of a bank. To accept a director
ship under the required oath and the
law means the Assumption OF duty
that few understand and realize. A
director in the meaning of the law is
not the mere fgurehead he SO often
proves to be, and that fact will mani
fest itself most forcibl1y should disas-
ter befall his institution. His account
ability to the stockholders and deposit
tors OF. his bank is greater than that of
any official of the state banking de-
partment. The duty of director is
to audit the banks books and records :;
that of an examiner is to satisfy him
self that the books of the original en-
try are correct, and that the assets
found in the bank equal the amount
shown by the books. That being done
he is to assume that the original in
dividual credits which make the grand
total are correct, and he cannot know
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22

more. other than by complete audit,
unless errors or false entries are
found by accident or otherwise. To
audit properly the books and records
of a bank would require weeks. No
examiner could undertake such task
and he is not expected nor required to
perform such service. For the bank
inc department to audit correctly the
Institutions now under its supervision
would necessitate an army OF men at
tremendous cost to the state and to
the banks themselves, and the present
banking laws provide for no such
force nor funds.
81 have endeavored to impress upon
directors the Importance OF their Of
flee. and their accountability under
the law, for the proper management
of their bank. Numerous cases may
be cited wherein the courts have held
directors personally liable for losses
to stockholders and depositors and
unless it can be clearly shown that
great care and diligence have been
exercised by them in the performance
of their duties, directors may be fac
ing grave danger.
81 trust this letter may be received
in the cooperative spirit intended.
am seeking to advise and counsel WITH
you solely in the interest of your
banking department and the people OF
the state.
81 shall try not to weary and annoy
you with trivial matters in the con-
duct of your affairs. My great solicit
tude will be for the general welfare
and solvency of the institutions COM
ing under the supervision of this de-
partment, and along these lines | shall
hope and reasonably expect to have
your earnest support.
Very respectfully yours,
sd. T. PARKER"
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
SECOND DEATH THREAT
BRINGS FOURTH GRAVE

FOND DU LAC.--A second threat
ening letter, warning him that he and
his wife and daughter are marked for
death, was coupled Wednesday after
noon with the discovery Of a fourth
newly-dug grave on the farm of Wal
ter Justann, Theresa farmer.
Justann received a letter warning
him that he and his family would be
killed several days ago. A few days
later Justann found three shallow
graves on his farm.
The second letter was received
Tuesday Like the first it was couch
ed in obscene terms and written ii
German Clews pointing to the iden-
tity Of the writer are said to be in the
possession of the authorities.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
IN CASE OF DEATH WHO
FILLS THE PRESIDENCY?

In case of death who fills the presi-
dency? The vice-president.
In case the vice-president dies who
next? Secretary of State.
In case the secretary of state died
who next? These questions have
been asked lately. By act of congress
in 1886, the order was provided as
follows:
Secretary of State.
Secretary of Treasury.
Secretary Of War
Postmaster General.
Attorney General.
Secretary Of the Navy.
Secretary of the Interior.
If, as incredibly might happen,
seven men would die in succession, a
special session of congress would Sc
lect the successor. Men may died but
the government at Washington goes
on forever!
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
TOURISTS SEE INDIANS
IN DANCES AND RACES

BRENTWOOD number of In
dian dances were given at McCord by
three groups of Indians from Oneida,
Lac du Flambeau and Arpin reserya-
tons. The dances included friend
ship dance, war dances, braves and
chicken dances. The usual tom-tom
and cymbals were the music. The
dancers were dressed in the regular
Indian costumes with their paint and
feathers. People from long distances
came to watch the dances.
Another feature of the program was
horse racing by bareback riders on
Indian ponies.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
IL Germany COIIapses.

A Germany totCering on the brink
of a social abyss, pulling the rest of
Europe after it, makes one wonder
Just what state Of affairs destruction
of this kind would imply?
When the Russian soviets declared
cities to be modern excresences nee
essary only as part OF cap1tal1Stlc
civilization, many Muscovite cities re-
ceived death blow They did not die
at once; dissolution came gradually
Petrograd, as striking example, fell
from a population of over two million
under Car Nicholas to less than hall
a million under Dictator LenIne
Other large centers suffered similarly
The Bolsheviks told the truth. The
city was a product of modern econo-
mic development and under sweep
ing reorganization the large center
fell to pieces.
Ia Germany similar things may
happen The large center is the con
centration point for products OF all
kinds. 1t is also a distributing point.
1t takes raw materials from open
spaces and manufactures them into
articles of utility and luxury. Carry
ing out these functions the large city
has developed naturally.
Should public confidence utterly
break down in Germany its present
hollow monetary system would col
lapse entirely. The city being built
on credits, or mans faith in man,
would go first. Reduced to fundamen-
tails, the rural districts would be the
last to suffer but compelled to barter
and with no markets for his farm
products the German bauer" would
find himself lowered almost to the
point of the Russian moujik.
With the collapse of the cities
would go such organized government
as exists in. Germany The republic
would dissolve into a group OF petty
states such as existed before the days
of Bismarck and the foundation of
the empire These states could estab-
lish monetary systems Of their OWL
founded on local wealth of some kind
or such hard money as they happened
10 possess.
We do not think it will go that far
German business men may establish
some sort of private money such as
the thirteen colonies depended on
when our Colonial scrip was about as
valuable as the present German mark
Private money serves as legal Cender
until such time as the state is strong
enough to put punch in its own cur
rency when the private money disap-
pears.
From a political standpoint we be
lieve the monarchists are biding time.
1t IS entirely probable that Strong
Man" will appear just as strong men
have appeared to take over govern
ment in the hour of darkness with
other nations Humanity looks about
for strong men in times of peril. 1t
welcomes them with relief.
Germany has collapsed financially
and may collapse politically. 1t may
collapse industrially. We do not be-
lieve it will go Red" or reach the
condition of the Russian empire
where thousands, aye millions, died
for want of bread when the old eco
monte system Of supply and distribu-
ton was deliberately assassinated.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
STATE TO ISSUE DOZEN
KINDS OF CAR LICENSES

black and white in it's 1924 auto Ii
cense plates, it was announced Tues
day following a conference in the sec
rotary of states office. The regular
plate will be black with white numer-
ais.
Special plates will be issued for
cars owned by the state, counties and
cities They will be red with white
numerals. AS a result of the new
auto weight tax law about a dozen
different kinds of license plates will
be issued. Each will be sold at a
different price.
The licenses will bear a letter Of
the alphabet on them, designating the
class to which they belong. The class
is dependent upon the weight.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
Small Town "Stuff"
Means Great Opportunity"


Small town stuff" has been a sub
iect for current novelists for some
time. Some writer's paint the old rus
tic untrue picture of small town life,
stressing on pure air, pure water,
pure characters and rose-clad cot
tages Humanity, they pretend, is
better in small towns than in larger
uenters. Everybody knows this kind
of 'hokum" to be untrue but it has a
certain popularity among the weakly
sentimental
Then another kind of writer ridi-
cules the country town. He says, in
effect, God made the country, Man
made the city, and the Devil, himself.
made the little town" In Main
Street" and kindred works he brings
into sharp relief the petty gossip and
narrow outlook, the hypocrisy and
boorish attitude Of the villager. Al
lowing that these aspects exist they
are rather a concOmitant of human
nature than of small town life. The
second picture, in its essence, is also
untrue.
The third picture of small town life
exists as a possibility rather than
reality 1t is an ideal well worth
working for. We visualize the old
ideal of the small community evolV-
ing into Greek state where the So
cial effort is expended in developing
the individual spiritually, morally,
mentally and physically,
The small town has an opportunity
here not to be realized in the huge
and sadly mixed city. The city man,
regardless of innate ability, is sub
merged He is herded here and there
by policemen He is, in word, a
minnoW in the ocean.
The small town man can make his
personality felt AS he evidences the
sincerity of his purpose he gains re-
spectful attention. He can become a
big frog in a small puddle"
We have far back in our mind a
fine future for the American small
town We can see instead of a dreary
procession of Main Streets" of de-
partmentized communities, all SINH
lar, something vastly better. We can
see jewellers in small towns making
conscious effort to beautify their lives
in material way. We can see arts
tic and comfortable dwelling places
surrounded by bloom and blowing
gardens. We can see happy and in
terested childhood growing up in
clean surroundings with proper men
tai and physical stimulus.
In this prophetic mood one might
visualize adults taking an interest in
their local affairs and informing
themselves along civic lines so that
home business would be administer
ed economically and we'll. We can
see education and human welfare for
all ages in the front vanguard of the
community ideal. We see congenital
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
Ages at Which Presidents Died.

George washington, 67.
John Adams, 80.
Thomas Jefferson, SO.
James Madison, 85
James Monroe, 70.
John Quincy Adams, 80.
Andrew Jackson, Is.
Martin Van Buren,, rs.
William Henry Harrison, IS.
John Tyler, II.
James X. Polk, SO.
Zachary Taylor, IS.
Willard Fillmore, IA.
Franklin Pierce, GA.
James Buchanan, II.
Abraham Lincoln, Sc.
Andrew Johnson, Sc.
Ulysses S. Grant, 63.
Rutherford M. Hayes, 70.
James A. Garfield, 40.
Chester A. Arthur, Sc.
Grover Cleveland, II.
Benjamin Harrison, 81.
William Mckinley, 58.
Theodore Roosevelt, 81.
Warren G.. Harding, So.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22
A Useless Question.

Rev. W. j. Griffiths of Dodgeville,
preached a sermon Sunday taking as
his text Gould We Do Without
Christ in Dodgeville?" Absolutely
not as long as Trace and Reese draw
a breath of life.-Platteville Witness
Now isn't that nice remark to
make about two venerable gentlemen,
of whom one is baid-headed and the
other admits being respectable. p
Dodgeville Sun.
Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1923-08-22

Mrs J. H. Vincent of GAINESVILLE, q
sister of w. G. Baxter of Montfort,
died Sunday night of last week. Bur-
ial was made at Dodgeville Wednes-
day
, 1923-09-23

venisnce to local and visiting motor
lists, points out the A. A. A.
Every motorist will recall similar
experiences in reading sign npsts
along almost any road in the United
States" said an official of the
A. A. A. zone sign may read IS
miles to Jonesville.' A mile further
on another sign may also read e
miles to Jonesville.' Both signs
may be correct depending on the
point in Jonesville from which the
mileage was taken. with an Off
cial milestone and the mileage
accurately measured. the motorist
would know definitely the nctual
mileage TO the center of the town
to or from which he is travelling.
From a commercial standpoint
an official milestone would be OF
service in giving readers OF adver-
tisements OF real estate. for example,
definite information. A farm may
be advertised as being six miles dis
tant from Jonesville. with tho
adoption OF an official milestone by
Jonesville the reader would know
that the distance is six miles from
a fixed point in ~Jonesville. which
would be in the. heart OF the city.
with the adoption of the Zero
Milestone in Washington all dis
tances on all A. A. A. maps out Of
Washington are measured from this
point. Since the dedication Of the
Washington milestone a similar
milestone has been placed in Los
Angeles. The plan of these two
cities should be followed by every
city and town in the country.
The cost OF putting up the Off
cial milestone can be negligible. A
simple marker could serve the pur-
pose. Automobile clubs in many in
stances will be willing to cree the
marker or milestone for the city or
town. II II is so desired. the mile
stone can also serve as n memorial
to some citizen who has served his
community well in the early days OF
the development OF highways,