Prejudice Against Banks

Banikers soone'times wonder ;ij: a certain prejudice a.gainst mem of their proïession t'hat seema to exisc in the popular mimi. This condition is indeetl umioasonable, for ite relation bot wieeni the banker and' the eomnmiavity in whicn ho lives should te one of maiitual trost anl coofideoce. But is the prejudice that exists ilue entisely to ignorance npoa the part ol tthose whO entert a lu the ieeliiig ? Ai-c lire bankers, themnelves In 110 wise neeponsible ior lbï Kobhing so excites general resentmenit agaiost a class as foc representativas al tiiu oiasá to ogpose progreseive movemeuuts of great importa mee to the genera] welfare 'uocause they tear a eomparállviely trilling 'njuiry to themselnes. The demand lor posfbal saviiogs banlts is very general amoiiig the Jeople, and their establislHiHfirt Avoudd bs of vei-y great valué to the comatry. Yet because banka iniirht interfere .1 very .i tle Avith the business ,; i.'irate b'aabers tle Bmall country baaikers of Illinois who dominated the aonvenlli .1 .-it Peoría, refused to give tSeir OudorsLUK-iit to the idea. The reatou ior thii ojjpositiou ivas not coneealefl. The aneiniea oif postal Bavi.i hanka opejüy said 'Uiat they opiosed taaie system, becauöe they did not want the govermaenó to iuterferp ín any mauner witfo die private iiioblacBi o; reoeiving deposite in whleü .lu'.v wei-e eugiaged. some protest, loo, th:it che goveamiuient saviugs b-anks wouild tend ia tlie direction oí ficcialism, bu't it is noticeable ; tl. is reasocii ior opposition is givcn ..i ily liy those Who do iiot want any ome to intarlere with Their busiaess 01 receiving deposite. To a cóutidepable ezteut the large bankers a:-e favorable to postal savlngs banks, despïte the fact that they 'nave even more farterest in opposing tjoeialisin iJi ui have the little ïellows. Tl, i opposltlon to postal savingd Sanks on tJve ])a.rt oí many of the :'in.;ii;iiamkeis narro w and blgo ed. The iivterference witli private b Hog would be conipaxaltively nconteqven'tSal. Yei because of thls smal] Sm'terference som ■ ol the lanke:s would prevent the establishment, o. the sysiiin wlii-ii wcmiá mean oo niuch to thoueands ol the populavioin. H tlue prlviate bankers we. e aWe to suipply tbs iteeils oí smill flepo-itors ior safe places of deposit the matter would be different. But they are not. The postal banks would afOT-d savinss accommodations to tlKjuwands whose needs private iasi'itutions would never supply. Iib any wonder thiat workingmen and otlier persons of email means íeel a prejudiee agalnet bankers when they se-e the establishment oí .-m institu; tioii in which they are greatly interested, opposed on narrow and selfIsh grounds by members of the bankers' conwntion ? Men holding the poi'ions of bankers In the communlty OUtSrllit to t.a.líR a lirriíiiiQi. f