With this statement in his pocket Jim went to the city to its largest bank.
“I’m Ashe, of the Ashe Clothespin Company up at Diversity,” he told the president, “and I’m in a hole. I’ve got to have some money.”
“We’ve got lots of it,” the president said, genially, “if you can show us. Let’s look into the hole you’re in and see.”
Jim gave him the statement; it was fully, minutely itemized. Every debit was shown in full; no credit was inflated. The banker studied it half an hour, nodding now and then.
“Would you attach your name to that statement?” he asked.
“Yes,” said Jim.
“You believe you can make money?”
“I know it.”
“Show me,” said the banker, and Jim showed him for an hour. He gave production figures, costs, prices, profits.
“It’s a good statement, a sound statement,” the banker said. “You have no quick assets—that’s bad. That demand-paper I don’t like; but otherwise—otherwise it is a very creditable statement.”