Jasper County Democrat, Volume 21, Number 100, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1919 — UNCLE SAM PAYING HIS DEBTS [ARTICLE]

UNCLE SAM PAYING HIS DEBTS

Government’s Credit Standing High, Because of Rapidity of Payment of Hie Obligations—Now a Creditor Nation.

If you were asked to lend money to a private citizen you x would ask: “What are this man’s prospects? Is his business showing a satisfactory growth? Is he paying off his debts and piling up a surplus?’’ When you are asked to lend your, money to Uncle Sam you can safely ask the same questions. The American government soon will ask for another great loan. Therefore, now Is the time to satisfy yourself that Uncle Siam will be an A-l debtor. The first thing that will impress you, when you corne to investigate the old gentleman’s credit standing, is the rapidity with which he has been paying off his debts and becoming himself a creditor. In 1914, when the war broke out, the nation owed four billion dollars (14,000,000,000) abroad and had to pay interest on that amount every year. Now all but about one-fourth of this big debt has been paid off, and the government of the United States has lent abroad a total of ten billion dollars ($10,000,000,000). Instead of paying mtflfest to Europe today, Uncle Sam is now in a position to ask and receive from Europe a total of at least five hundred million dollars ($500,000,000) a year In interest. That sum from across the water each year will pay more than half the interest the government will owe to its people on all the Libei ty bond issues, including the fifth. Uhcle Sam certainly can show a good set of books. Ilfs credit Is A-l with every credit agency in the country.