================= HES POSTING ===================== If you are going to talk about different configurations during the "free banking" era in the U.S. -- which I do think is relevant to the discussion -- don't forget the Suffolk System in Massachusetts, which was a self-regulating banking consortium that operated exceptionally well. Mary Schweitzer, Dept. of History, Villanova University (on medical leave since January 1995 with chronic fatigue syndrome) [log in to unmask] ============ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ============ For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]