THE COURIER
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tne panic of 1893 the bankers of the country listened to enough
"tales of woe" to havo driven every one of them to suicide; lut for
self protection as well as for the protection of tho business of the
country, they had to brace each customer up with a courage they
hardly felt themselves. There is not a day passes but that tho
banker receives anywhere from one to a dozen letters of inquiry in
regard to the credit of individuals in his town, or the value of some
piece of real estate. Sometimes a stamp is enclosed for reply.
Every one of these letters takes investigation, time and letter paper
to answer, but there is no money in it. Note is sent a bank for col
lection, the maker is notified by mail, or it is presented by messen
ger, or both, and tinally collected. The bank charges twenty-five or
fifty cents while a lawyer would charge 85 for tho same service.
Half of the time tho note is returned uncollected and the bank gets
nothing for its stationery, postage and clerk hire, except blamo for
not collecting a poor note. The bank acts as a clearing house for
its customers. Tho deposits of many of its business men are made
up largely of checks and drafts on towns throughout this and ad
joining states. The bank gives credit for them on receipt. Each
check is registered on its books, a letter is written and it is enclosed
in an envelope and mailed to some bank in the western part of the
state, or Colorado, or Dakota, or Wyonii ng for collection. In the
course of a week, more or less, a draft on Chicago or New York is
received for it. This is in turn registered and mailed to New York
for credit. It thuB takes two letters, postage and ten days time to
get returns for what tho customers deposit as cash. Most banks
charge nothing for this service and if the bank upon which the
check is drawn takes out a few cents for"exchange"and4it is charged
back to the depositor, he immediately begins to talk about find
ing some bank that won't charge him for collecting his checks. It
was only a few years ago that the Lincoln banks furnished their
customers with exchange free of charge, although drafts and the
clerks necessary to draw them are quite an expense. Now the banks
as in most of the large cities, make a small charge for drafts,
but a-great many country bankers still furnish them for nothing.
The banks furnish check books, pass books, deposit tickets, etc.,
free of charge and if a business man wants a special lithographed
chech they furnish that also. However, in this respect western
bankers are more liberal than those of the east. There if a custom
er wishes anything more than a cheap, plain check he must pay for
it himself. The item of check books alono is quite an expense.
Then, too, most banks will store in their vault for customers any
thing from an envelope to a trunk of silver plate and charge noth
ing for the trouble or the room. About their only source of profit is
interest on loans and there are some statesmen in Nebraska who
lalk about "grasping corporations" because they charge this. If a
banker calls in a loan, tells a man his note must be paid he becomes
a tyrant, an oppressor of the poor. Many people do not seem to
realize that when a bank collects its paper, thus stopping its inter
est, its only source of profit, it is not because it wishes to show its
power to oppress some poor debtor, but because of a necessity, be
cause its depositors, its creditors, are pressing their debtors for pay
ment. The pathway of the average banker is not strewn with as
many roses as a great many people imagine.
SJUCgMX
Cashier We never pay bills on Satur
day Short But my name is not Bill
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Judging from tho start already made the Fleasant Hour club will
this season have a membership of forty. The first dance will be
given next Thursday, Thanksgiving night, at tho Lincoln hotel, and
will be preceded by a reception to Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Burr and
Mr. and Mrs. Beman G. Dawes.
Mrs. Rebecca Atkins isn't the only resident of this city who has a
book in press as will develop in due timo.
Charles G. Dawes has been elected a member of the Union League
of Chicago.
Several Lancoln people who have a personal interest in the mat
ter, would like to know who supplied the Omaha young women who
gave the minstrel show in this city last week, with tho material in
elegantly known as "local gags."
In tho matrimonial race Omaha and Lincoln aro just about neck
and neck, the difference, if cny there be, being in favor of Omaha;
but Lincoln is going to Bhow some unexpected speed in tho last
quarter.
It is learned that the minstrel performance given in this city by
the ladies of Omaha and Council Bluffs netted tho sum of 81. Those
who read the story in The Courier a couplo of weeks ago entitled
"A Complete Success" may be reminded of the financial result of
tho Emerson-Osgood-Adams concert, by the showing made by the
"Ethiopian Songsters." We have not been informed as to the dis
position of the dollar. Some Lincoln people may be amused by this
showing made by the Omaha ladies, but the fact that only 81 profit
was realized doesn't rotlest particular credit on tho gallantry or ap
preciation of the people of this city. The entertainment was, em
phatically, deserving of much better treatment than it received. So
ciety people havo turned out en masse on other occasions when the
entertainment offered was much less attractive; but for some reason
or other they manifested comparatively little interest in this really
commendable effort of the Songsters. It is only proper to state,
however, that the minstrel performance might have been a greater
success if the ladies had managed things a little differently. Pass
ing a large number of Omaha people down to Lincoln might havo
been, and no doubt was, pleasant; but there was no profit in it.
Frank Sheldon, formerly of this city, has purchased a handsome
residence in New York city on Riverside drive. Mr. Sheldon nego
tiated for the Aaron Burr property, the New York home of this
noted Burr; but for some reason ho was not successful in obtaining
the property.
Otto Mohrenstecher was called to Quincy, Ills., Wednesday by
a telegram announcing the illness of his fiancee. The wedding was
to have taken place next week. Whether it is to be held as origin
ally intended depends now on Miss Kespohl's health.
Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Kelly arrived in the city Monday,
making their home at the Lincoln hotel for the present.
They are
Frank Zehrung is being generally congratulated on his artistic
work in heralding the coming of Pauline HaU. Mr. Zehrung as
a theatrical manager is justifying all The Courier predicted for
him.
Miss Minnio Gaylord, of this city, has located in Buffalo, N. Y.,
having accepted a position in a church choir at a salary of 810CO per
year. Miss Gay Ion' received this appointment after a spirited com
petition with a large number of vocalists.
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