Another  thing  that  has  helped  to  produce  greater  facility
in  the  collection  department  of  the  modern  bank  is  the
increased  number  of  banks  and  the  fact  that  they  are  estab-
lished in  almost  every  small  town.  And  in  towns  too  small
for  a  bank  or  a  lawyer,  the  express  companies  are  there  and
these  render  great  service  to  banks  in  the  way  of  collections.
In  fact  some  banks  do  their  collection  business  with  the  ex-
press companies,  even  in  towns  where  there  are  banks,  claim-
ing that  the  express  is  often  the  quickest  and  cheapest.  One
thing  is  sure,  the  express  system  is  managed  with  great  skill
and  a  promptness  and  safety  that  calls  for  admiration,  and
makes  it  a  desirable  collecting  agency.
Short  methods  and  improved  records  and  forms  have  very
materially  lessened  the  work  in  attending  to  the  details  of  the
collection  department.  The  pen  no  longer  writes  out  all  the
forms,  and  indorsements.  This  work  is  accomplished  by
means  of  the  rubber  stamp,  and  is  done  by  the  messenger  and
the  junior  clerk,  instead  of  the  officers  of  the  correspondence
and  collection  departments  of  the  bank.  Many  of  these  in-
dorsement stamps  contain  the  name  of  the  cashier,  so  that
nothing  is  to  be  written  with  the  pen.
§  466.  The  Bank's  Responsibility.  A  bank  is  always
responsible  for  paper  left  with  it  for  collection.  And  if  the
paper  is  payable  at  another  bank  and  is  sent  there  for  collec-
tion, the  sending  bank  is  responsible  for  its  collecting  agents
acts.  If  a  collecting  bank  fails  with  the  proceeds  of  collec-


264  THE  BUSINESS  OF  BANKING.
