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Show BANKS OF COUnJTRY AREFLOURISHIWG WASHINGTON. Dec. 1 1 Business in general, as reflected in tho condition condi-tion of tho banks of tho United States, has shared in the country's prosperity, according to Comptroller Lawrence O. Alurra' in his nnnual report raado public pub-lic todaj'. The banking power of the nation, represented by capital, surplus, profits, deposits and circulation, reached duriug the, year tho enormous total of $22,-54S.707.000, $22,-54S.707.000, a high record, showing an increase of 5.0S) per cent over J911 arid 27.8 per cent over 1908. Sinco'lOOO tho banking power has increased 111 per cent, or more- than, doubled. During Dur-ing the last twclvo years tho number of bauka has increased by over 107 per cent and their volume of business, as indicated, by dopotils, shows an increase of over 127 per cent. The comptroller 's Toport consists of a. mass of statistics," with analysis, most of which previously "have beeu published. " In. connection with the rates in mono', which recently havo been soaring, soar-ing, tho comptroller simply observes that tho rates were normal up to August, Au-gust, with a tightening of tho monoy market thereafter. According to tho last condition report, September 4, tho comptroller points out that Now York and Chicago wore slightly deficient in tho amount of their iogai reserves and St. Louis slightly excessive. Bauka in the major portion of other reserve cities were also slightly deficient, but the country banks maintained an excess ex-cess of tho legal requirements. Loss than 70 per cent of the total amount of uationul bank notes which the national banks might eirculato under un-der the lawr h.as been issued. Based upon tho September 4 report tho banks might increase their circulation circula-tion by 32 ,927,000, Itfr. Murray says. Tho'nutional banks, tho report indicates, indi-cates, hold over SO per cent of the bonded debt of the "United States in the way of socurity for circulation and public deposits and as investments. "Duriug tho fiscal year 1912 the national na-tional banks paid "dividends aggregating aggre-gating $120,300.S72, or 11. (ill per cent on capital and 6.93 per cent on capital and surplus combined. The net earn ings of $149,056,1503 wcro equivalent to S.59 per cent of capital and surplus. During the last forty-three years the banks have paid an average annual dividend of 9.17 per cent on tho capital stock. |