But they were conscious of the need to head off growing support for deposit guarantees, as one Western State after another joined the march toward mandated insurance schemes. The Republicans' solid majority in the 1909 Congress, combined with the new President's high-profile support, thus assured passage of the Postal Savings Bill of 1910. Among the large industrial countries, only Germany – which during the 19th century had developed an extensive system of municipal savings banks serving a similar purpose – waited longer to establish postal savings
