Ohio, especially, was active in this direction. It seemed that nearly every member of the legislature had learned the story of Betsy and Jobe Gaskins, and had come to Columbus determined, if possible, to provide laws that would stay the hands of Ohio sheriffs from turning honest people out of the shelter they had erected by their own industry and economy, and to make it easier for people to pay for homes. It was only the second day of the session when sixteen bills were presented in the House and four in the Senate, all designed to lessen the hardships of debtors and the burdens of the oppressed. There seemed to be a unanimity of opinion that county treasurers should be authorized to receive money on deposit in order to protect the depositor from loss; that money so deposited should be exempt from taxation, and that legal interest should be reduced to four per cent. There was some diversity of opinion as to whether or not the treasurers should do a general banking business; all agreed, however, that money should be loaned out on first mortgage real estate security at not to exceed four per cent. interest. The bills were referred to a committee appointed for the purpose, and the following is the bill reported back by the committee, the chairman of which, Mr. L. W. Chambers, of Ashtabula County, became its champion: THE BILL. “_Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio_: That on and after the first Monday in April, A. D. 1898, any person so desiring may deposit money in any sum from one dollar ($1) up, with the treasurer of the county in which he resides, and receive therefor a certificate of deposit or a credit on a pass-book, and all such money may be withdrawn on demand unless otherwise stipulated in the certificate of deposit. The treasurer may require a notice of sixty days for the withdrawal of any sum exceeding one hundred dollars ($100). “SEC. 2. The county treasurers of Ohio are hereby authorized to receive on deposit money from the citizens of their respective counties; keep the same separate from the other funds received by them; place the same in a special account, to be called the People’s Savings Fund; provide such extra clerk hire as may be necessary to attend to the business; lend the money of such fund on first mortgage real estate security to such citizens as may apply for same, at a rate of simple interest not to exceed four (4) per cent. per annum. “All securities and title of property shall be certified to the treasurer by the auditor and recorder, and shall be appraised by a board of appraisers residing in the township where the property is situated. “Not more than ninety (90) per cent. of the appraised value of any property shall be loaned thereon.