NATIONAL BANKS The national banking power of Wisconsin is represented bew by an abstract of statements of 138 banks located in our ate, prepared under the direction of the Comptroller of the Currency, and furnished me through his courtesy. ABSTRACT OF STATEMENTS OF 138 NATIONAL BANKS OF WISCONSIN AT THE A comparison of the principal items taken from the foregoing table with corresponding figures from the abstract of state and savings banks and trust companies on the date of call follows: Statements of all banking institutions located in Wisconsin have been combined in one abstract and are herewith presented. CONSOLIDATED ABSTRACT Financial statements of state and mutual savings banks and trust companies of Wisconsin at the close of business November 17, 1916, and national banks of Wisconsin at the close of business November 17, 1916. The foregoing abstract represents the total banking power of Wisconsin. The figures disclose the deeply significant fact that the increase of $82,000,096.80 in the total banking power of the state from November 10, 1915, to November 17, 1916, almost equals the total assets of state banks for the year 1902. Through the courtesy of the national banks of the state in complying with my request for their statements of November 17,1916, I am enabled to present such herein, thus making the volume a complete directory of all banks and land mortgage associations located in Wisconsin. STATE BANKING DEPARTMENT Our banking law very wisely provides that the principal justification for the establishment of a bank is to promote the public convenience and advantage. In accord with such provision, this department has insisted, so far as practicable, that the demand for a bank shall originate with the people of the community where the bank is to be located, and that it shall be essentially a "home" bank, owned and controlled by "home" capital. There appears, however, to be an attempt on the part of promoters to secure control of banks now being organized in this state. It, therefore, becomes necessary to scrutinize very closely the numerous applications for new banks, and a searching analysis of persons and conditions must be made by the examiner to determine whether or not the proposed bank should be allowed to engage in business. An examiner is required to do expert work of the highest character which involves great responsibility and which is a constant strain on his mental and physical endurance. On account of the rapid growth in the volume of assets of banks now in existence, additional demands are constantly being made upon the time required of the present examining force to complete the examinations. In order to maintain the efficiency of this department and make the number of examinations required by law, it will be necessary to employ additional examiners in the immediate future. Building and loan associations,-seventy-seven in numberare, likewise, subject to regulation by this department, and are examined once a year. As a special report, covering the condition of these associations, will be submitted to you in accordance with the requirements of section 2014-16 of the statutes, I shall not at this time go into further detail. The total operating expense of the department for the year 1916 amounted to $47,222.09. The receipts for the same period, derived from actual examination fees and other sources, totals $33,858.70, making the net cost for the year $13,363.39. The following schedules show a record of the activity of this department, covering a period of fourteen years, from 1903 to 1916, inclusive: SCHEDULE SHOWING THE NUMBER OF BANKS, AND THE AGGREGATE ASSETS OF BANKS, UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE STATE BANKING DEPARTMENT, YEAR BY YEAR. NUMBER OF EXAMINATIONS MADE BY THE STATE BANKING DEPARTMENT DURING THE FOURTEEN YEAR PERIOD FROM JANUARY 1, 1903, TO JANUARY 1, 1917. NOTE: Beginning with June, 1911, semiannual examinations of banks have been |