Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-05-08
ghe aa1hita Badly eagle Sunday Boruine @ay s, 1888.


In analvzing the abilities of our fore
fathers as financiers, due allowance should
be made for the conditions which sur
rounded them. They naturally iabored
under many disadvantages and lacked the
facilities of our sometimes TOO rapid mod
ern banking brethren
Canada, that great and glorious boon to
our latter day Napoleons of finance, did
not enter into their calculations, reclpro-
city in bank cashiers, and friendly eX-
change OF skipping trustees not then being
the natural sequence of sundry silent sum-
mer resort trips for the benefit OF the
health.
It was, however not long after Adams
time that we find frequent reference to the
original asylum for this class OF emf
grants.
| allude to the land district known as
the happy land of Canaan, ana. acting
upon the Darwinian theory OF evolution,
It will be readily seen how the name Can
ada became in time a corruption of
Canaan that land to whence the nimble
cashier Of those ancient days did flow.
And yet again. in the beginning there was
no extraditition treaty with Mexico, the
Indian territory was not on the may, and
No Mans Land had not been annexed Tor
judicial purposes to our beloved state and
was not known to offer superior induce
ments for immigration in cases OF emery
ency: so that taken all together feel that
Adam, as the first banker, was a success,
and that his memory deserves well at the
hands OF the fraternity.
l therefore offer this sentiment in
sparkling glass of Adams own ale:
Nav all his children of the fraternity
gathered here this Eve, be Able to walk
with rectitude, without the use of Cam
and when on that last day the accounts
shall be balanced in the golden book of
life, and all earthly assets placed in the
vault and the time lock forever closed,
may we all be reunited In that great celeS-
tal bank wherein treasures do not take
wings unto themselves, nor does the moth
corrupt.
In the absence of S. S. Sisson, ESQ, of
Harper. Clark Gray, Esq, of Larned. re-
sponded must aptly and eloquentiy to-
The Typical Banker"
Toast: Safe and Unsafe Banking
Responded to by H. w. Lewis in the following par
aboc poem.
THE BANKERs OF oTTERvILLE.
In the state of Pennsylvania, in cottage
rude and old,
Nesting at the feet of mountains, rising
rugged, bleak and bold,
Where the worn and sterile soil, and the
stumps and stones nefarious
Made subsistence for the farmer and his
family precarious.
On a night of cold December, mid the
bowling of the wind,
First was heard the infant bowling of
John Henry Silvergrnd.
In mansion built of marble on the city's
shoicest street,
Where the sweet perfume OF flowers, IN the
spring, the senses greet;
On the balmieSt Of June mornings, scarce
half minute old,
Minghng with the chirp of robins, first
chirped Morris Easygold.
And thirty years sped quickly by, and
both these boys were men,
And in cradle at each home, their images
again.
John Henry Silvergrind had led life of
rugged toll
Upon his fathers little farm of rough and
barren soil,
Bat now the oil development had brought
them sudden wealth
And John came out to Kansas, exactly
for his health.
At Otterville he started little privaCe
bank.
But the people grinned and nodded and
passed him for crank.
A bout this time from college graduated
Easy geld,
The pride of all his classmates, and of his
father old,
And straightway out to Otterville young
Morris also came,
Enriched with many bonds and bills, and
with an honored name:
And over plate glass windows the gilded
letters told
First National Bank of Otterville"-its
president, Easy gold>
And the people brought their money and
deposits grew apace,
But Silvergrind was badly left and dis
tanced in the race;
For Easy gold was clever and a man of
of brilliant parts,
While Silvergrind, though kind was blunt,
and knew no social arts.
A big balloon was Easy Colds, but smaller
far, and sadder,
The bank of Silvergrind resembled more a
blown up bladder.
No big financial scheme, nor enterprise,
nor measure, nor
A corporation in the town, but Easy gold
was treasurer.
He kept the county taxes and paid eight
per cent thereon,
And issued his certificates depositors drew
ten upon.
No stranger ever struck the town, than,
ere he could dismount,
Some striker keen of Easy COLDS solicited
his account.
On overdrafts, or note OF hand, at any hap
at all,
He loaned to several special friends" one
fourth his capital.
He used. himself, liberal share, and
often, Ger the wire,
At the stock exchange on Wall street, took
modest little flyer"
Till crazed at length with gambling and to
hasten on his fate,
He spread himself all DER the town, wad-
ing into real estate.
And all this time John Henry still came
slowly plodding on,
His business was conservative and his
profits very wan.
His coat was out at elbows, his breeches
very thin,
And, at places. midst the bowling gale,
would let the blizzard in
He built himself modest home, which
seemed more humble still.
Compared with Morris mansion standing
proudly on the hill
His wife and children plainly dressed. with
feathers few or laces,
And Silvergrind no money spent upon the
balls or races;
But when a case of suffering or want was
once presented
His generous heart beat quick and strong
with charity unstinted.
His principles were always right, his hon
esty seraphic,
And ever set. his manly face, against the
liquor traffic.
And so the years rolled brlskly on until
one April morn
Upon the streets OF Otteryille there stood
a crowd forlorn;
They gazed upon a placard that met their
furious view
81 nd yE1