A competition in banking compels the doing of many things involving clerical labor and expense, for which no direct charge can be made, much economy can be effected by adopting simple methods of bookkeeping, and by a liberal use of printed forms, in addition to those recommended or suggested in this outline of bank bookkeeping and administration.

One very important principle which should be applied systematically and universally to all the work done in a bank is that of having the entries and work of each officer or employe examined, checked, and verified each day by some other officer or employe, for this will go very far toward insuring greater accuracy and preventing dishonesty. On this line the writing up of pass-books by a clerk who does not keep the individual ledger, and the verifying or reconciling accounts current received from correspondent banks, by someone not filling out or signing the drafts, or conducting the correspondence, are very important, and a teller should never be allowed to keep the individual ledger.

One device which has effected a great saving of labor in bank work is the Burrough's Registering Accountant, sold by American Arithmometer Co., St. Louis, Mo., which, by the operation of a keyboard like that of a typewriter, prints the figures in a column, on a roll of paper, and at any desired point, by the turn of a crank, shows the sum resulting from the addition of the figures, with absolute accuracy. Experience shows this machine to be especially valuable and useful in making out lists of checks for clearing house, writing up checks for balancing pass-books, taking off balances from "three-column ledgers," and whenever similar work is to be done.

A great improvement on the old system of having depositors write their signatures in a book is to take each signature on a card and to arrange these cards alphabetically, so that each signature is easily referred to. For this there are several patented devices.

In conclusion, it should be understood that the information and suggestions contained in this chapter are given only as a bare outline of what is regarded as a good and safe system, the details of which must be worked out and adapted to the varying needs of each particular case.