Wichita eagle., 1889-09-28
THE COUNTRY BANKER.

The EAGLE referred to the fact, the
other day, that NJ. w. Levy. president Of
the Wichita National had been desig-
mated to reply to the last toast at the
banquet of the Bankers National con-
vention at Kansas City. From the
Times OF Thursday we clip the following:
''The Country Banker was the closing
toast, most happily responded to by
Hon. NJ. w. Levy Of Wichita, Kan. Mr..
Levy said:
by nature honest, attributable to cir
cumscribed financial condition Of our
Immediate progenitors: wise from geo
graphical instinct, implanted and inner
ent, for the wise men came from the
east and became country bankers IN the
west. Wherever circumstances may
place him he unconscionsly becomes an
autocrat, he comes IN daily contact with
all classes, learns their requirements ana
conditions in the various walks OF lie.
He has honors, labors, responsibilities
and power thrust upon him. HE'S looked
up to head all public subscriptions; he Is
a professional pail bearer, ottlclates at
weddings and christenings, rransposes
himself into fire and burglar proof
safety vault for the receptacle of all
political, domestic and municipal
secrets; has a nephew III every
city on the continent, whose mis-
sion it is to delightfully."- greet the advent
of a favorite customer OF his uncle and
gleefully impart to him the knowledge
of having Just drawn a prize IN lot
terry, and, with becoming modesty, Dor
rows what money the gentleman whom
he met in his uncle's bank has about
him.
"The progressiyeness Of a community
is measured by the Eberality, sagaclty
and brain of the banker. Few business
ventures fail that have his good will,
and few survive that he condemns. lie
gives character and standing, or blasts
the reputation of the business man.
.sHe is, in addition to his legitimate
duties, philanthropist, merchant, stock
raiser, grain grower, journalist, railroad
builder. orator and local politician. The
mercantile, mechanical and agricultural
classes. as well as the ecclesiastical forces,
are dependent on his good will and fail
without his smile. No place more than
in the rugged civilization of the new
born west is the adage eXempllfled, the
learned pate ducks to the golden fool.
The country banker furnishes the basis
and foundation of the colossal business
conducted by his metropolitan compeers.
The tiller OF the soil is the chief corner
stone of the banking fabrlck. The pro-
ceeds of his food productions find their
way primarily into the hands of the
country bank, who starts a golden riv-
ulet, flowing increasingly into the trlbu-
tary streams until a mighty river fills to
overhowing the Golfers of his colleagues.
SO much for the typical country banker.
s.The mutations of time have found a
new generation, which finds its field of
action IN the western hemisphere. The
vast, imitless. boundless resources and
surroundings of my transmississippi
brother, precludes his remaining long in
the embryonic state of the country
banker Where pumpkins are followed
out and transmogrified into grain ele-
vators, where we utilize corn cobS for
railroad ties, corn stalks for rails, and
sunfiower seed for ballast, the stupendous
and unbounded confidence III his own
ability to carry to successful issue any
enterprise lie may undertake. however
colossal 1t may appear, allows NO pent
up Utica TO contract his powers, but as
his own, claims the whole boundless
continent
His self-confdence would enable him
to graft Henry Georges single tax theory
on the constitution of Florida alligator
or for liberal commission guarantee
the location of the much sought after
worlds fair to any city that will engage
his talents. He seeks suitable locality
for the erection of great municipality
from his creative mind, Mlnerva-hke,
springs forth full fiedged. not country
town. but vast city, mayhap the future
capital of our country, with all the at
tributes and Inherent accessories of a
New York, Kalamazoo, Chicago or Osh-
kosh.
An opera house, pretty typewriter,
cable and electric cars, drop-a-nickel-in-
the-slot and obtain a dose OF Brown
Sequard elixir. daily newspaper, Doodle
alderman, gas and electric hgnts, the
red-headed horse and the white girl, and
all other concomitants of metropolis
have been duly provided for. HIS
enterprises are founded on no small
scale. He Is an aggressive hnancler
his great hotel projects and schemes OF
every nature and kind are OF gigantic
proportions. His previous appointments
and experience as receiver, guardian.
assignee, administrator and conseryaior
of trusts. eminently fit him for any fidu-
ciary capacity requiring great executive
ability. As railroad receiver he excels.
Common stock disappears before him as
the mountain misgs before the vernal
sun. Floating debts vanish In the mael-
strom OF his manipulations. Mortgages
are as chaf before the cyclone.
He emerges from the boulllonIzet
CORPORATION as President Of a new one,
founded on the wreck Of MS latest trust.
He superintends the voting OF bonds for
school houses, waterworks and railroads,
secures temporary loan on them from
his Kansas City correspondent, and
when the signs are propitious disposes
of them TO his Boston friends.
Being now the possessor OF q formid-
able bank balance he discovers that has
Napoleonic financial talent requires q
wider field of action. His bucoilc in
Stinct leads him TO the pastoral fields OF
Wall street. where it may be said o.
him. Ives (sleen him emerge without
| 'Stay-nor' dollar 10 has credit Or
mayhap he Will Join the innumerablt
caravan OF those who have gone before
| who have crossed the silent waters sep
arating our country from Canada.