Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-05-16

cemnilsh me end sought. II must be |
ueed nv n large percentage OF our mem |
bers commend Il to your favorable
consideration and recommend that IL
be adopted. ,
ton is greatly Handicapped by the
bravity OF terms Of membership. I'M
der the present laws OF the organlza-
tion an annual fee Of s. Is due ana
payable on the first day of each oalen-
dar year An inspection or the rec
ords OF the association discloHcs the
fact that while many institutions have
maintained n continuous membership,
there are many more which are MEM
bers one year and then drop out Tor
one two or three years, and then come
in again. In my judgment n better
plan would be TO make the assessment
1876 to cover flvc years membership
and II such n course should meet the
approval OF our present membership
1 am persuaded that II would lead to
more general and active interest In the
association than has heretofore been
manifested. a constantly changing
membership cannot hope to achieve
n very large success, inasmuch as the
line OF policy that may be marked out
at one convention is susceptible Of
radical change in the next Concerted
action on the part Of competitive banks
| Is difficult OF attainment under the
! Is rendered doubly difficult when we
| experience the great confusion engeu-
| dered by the fact that members after
| having become familiar with the prac-
| teal workings Of the association, have
dropped out and thus lost interest In
| the organization. The suggestion of
! lengthening the terms OF membership
| ia but a thought in the line OF obtain
| ing better practical results, which |
/ deem worthy OF consideration; but 1t
| would utterly fail of Its purpose unless
| II should receive your practically unan-
! imous Endorsement. The association
/ has now completed the tenth year Of
| its existence, and compared with all
| other similar organizations Its record
| Is high aud the interest preserved in
| It's workings and meetings 10 much
above the average In other states.
SIM. 1t must be remembered that this
IS the pioneer State Bankers asiocil-
ton, ana that II devolyes upon us 10
| utilize every means IN our power to
demonstrate the success OF ouch m Or
| ganlC body. The practical advantages
| OF membership have sometimes been
| questioned, and while | affirm that In
Vulnerable benefits have eocruad to
the regular members II long standing.
! l desire TO submit 4 few additional
suggestions which may make the as
ISOLATION sun more effective FOR USE
lul purposes. 1t viii be rcmGl lhcIcl
that nj our Waco meeting In 1892. in
discussing the best me.hoda 20 attain
the advantages to accrue from our or
| gnuigaton, / then advocated what was
! termed the district system" | tim
believe this system NAV hl pr0dial ~
used for practical purposes. Toshaps
tho bCst Illustration Of what ! mean
IS found In the plan OF organization
OF the Now York SAFE Bankers as
ISOLATION, where 1t IS termed the group
| ytHgf Ton ttHI. Ia
lar to us all. The plan Is 10 divide tie
atatc into convenient number OF
districts or groups In each OF which
a local organization may be formed.
dgrNlng It's authority from the sta g
body. These districts should he boun +
ed by geographical lines, but should
be so arranged as to only include banks
having n community cf interests. 1t
is unnecessary that / enter into all
tho details OF this plan. l only desire
now to briefly outline some Of the ud-
vautNgcs which such an Idea introduce
ed into our plan or work would bring
us. My observation and experience
leads me to the conclusion that tnore
are two well known hindrances in
our banking practice which We should
remedy. / nllude TO free collection
ana "oNcessivc competition" | venture
the assertion that at least ono-nalf OF
all the banks in Texas make nothing
Is an important source Of revenue To
any bank, and sound banking requires
that It should be utilized to l's fulltst
extent
Again, one Of the most dangerous Of
all the factors which enter into cur
banking life, Is that NJ excessive com.
petition, To It, l believe. may Dc
traced the primary cause OF many
bank failures 1t s said that "compe,
= ltion la the life of trade and would
detract nothing from the trlthfullasi
of this assertion, but whom this compc,
Z tltlon comes TO be so keen, ar1 Il
carried to such unwarrdnted extern
? as to threaten the very existence OF
! our institutions, then 1 h1ld that Il
2 Ia high time that we should attempt
come remedy to correct the evil Til,
district system" Is designed 10 d,
1 this / presume no one Will question
= the benefits to accrue ~ concert o
, action ON the part OF the banks an,
all working together on rates OF eX
s change and Interest. Now, II W.
t. should attempt to fix a schedule o
+ rates that would apply 20 the stat,
K at large. We would find that by reason
= OF our large area and consequent iii
i Neraited Interests, such a fXed rat
G could not be maintained. What ~ con
+ tidercd tair and legitimate profit II
= Galveston may not be 80 consldere.
l. In Fort Worth. and what would be pro
" uhVllNt vi revenue IN Maf3lNll, Mouli
- not be considered fair rate at Abb
h leno, but IL In forming our districts w
y should group together those bank
Z whose Interests are largely the same
!, then we could fix schedule for cacl
% local organization that would prov
y profitable ana Just for all banks cor
II cerncd. AS was very beautifully sci
= by that astute banker, sir. VIM c
% Cornwall. In speaking OF the or,,aniza
ID ton of the New York ASSOCIATION -
If congratulate You gentlemen, upon YOU
= work today II is a mark OF ptoEtes
Al In the honorable calling TO which "
81 all belong. II Is by such work as mi
~ that progress In honesty, In wisdor
N ana in power Is made. In honesty, be
BE- cause the recollection OF such SCENE
tie az this Will keep members anxious /
D continue worthy to meet you; In wi.
ly dom, because an exchange OF !aca
a such as you have provided for Is sur
-, TO evolve intelligent action; in powe
re because OF the union OF all your force
I'd In this way is power within Itself"
t. our treasurer viii submit to yo
IN his annual report. from which you ma
II, gather Information As to the state {
on our finances. In this connection HAY
1t but one suggestion to offer. We al
ks spending too much money. While OF
OF prospects so far have fully met ~
ID expenditures. still, l believe that "
e should curtail our expenses at eyer
es point, and IL possible lay ub n snu
ur I little sum for the proyerblal ssra II,