The Portland daily press., 1897-08-18
BANKERS OF AMERICA.
Meeting Of National Association at
Detroit.
MEMBERS WELCOMED RY COVER
NOR PINGREE AND OTHERS.

a. ~NOW ANC&OtldUAS AHsGIuAAloho
mendoza Commission Chosen to En-
deavor to Convert Farmers From fre5u-
dices Against Banks-Comptrolier
Eck1es Com mends Idea.
Detroit, August 17.-Every seat IN tne
Detroit opera house was occupied TINS
morning when, at little after 10. Presl-
dent Robert J. Lowry called to order tne
25d annual conference of the American
Bankers Association.
Mayor Mayberry then welcomed tne
delegates to Detroit in an address more
than usually happy and felicitious.
Gov. Pingree was late in arriving, puo
when he came forward he was received
with a general roundssof applause. he
also made speech.
The next address Of welcome came
from Geo. H. Russell. member OF the
executive council for Michigan. Then
President Lowry arose to respond to the
greeting of Michigan and to give his an
nual address.
The annual report of the secretary,
James E. Branch, of New York city, fol-
lowed.
VIM. a. Porter, treasurer of the associ-
alton, reported receipts for the year Sl7,-
sol, and the disbursements, sl4,5S9
Jos. c. Hendricks of New York, sub
mitted the report of the protective com
mittee, which is composed of three bank
ers whose names were kept secret, and
who act under the direction of the execu-
tive council in taking steps for the arrest
and prosecution of parties charged with
crimes against members of the associ-
alton During the past year not MEM
ber of the association has lost a dollar
through burglary and every professional
operator to whom the attention of the
protective committee has been called,
has either been convicted, is now await
ing trial, or has been released on turning
states evidence. Mr.. Hendricks called
attention to the fact that there has been
no notable swindle or forgery during the
year.
The report of the committee on uniform
laws was read by Frank W. Tracey of
Springfield, Illinois. The report says
that there was published in the American
Bankers Magazine for May a negotiable
instrument law which seemed to be Il
the committee could possibly frame.
In speaking of the merits of the new
law, the report says: "a more useful
or thoroughly prepared statute on COM
mercial law would be difficult to find.
All the fundamental principles and as
sential definitions of the law on CONNER
cial papers, the law, in short, OF some
10000 reported cases is, in substance con-
densed into 26 pages. w
''This law has already been adopted in
the states of New Jersey, Connecticut
and Colorado 1t has become law in the
State of New York, to take effect Octo-
ber /, 1897. %
The report expresses hope of seeing the
law on the statute books of all the re-
naming states within a reasonable period
of time.
The report concludes by recommending
the appointment of a committee to corre-
spond with the state associations and
look generally after the passage of the
law by the state legislatures.
The remaining report on the programme
was that of the committee on formation
of a bureau of education, submitted by
Chairman William G. Cornwell. He said
If the bankers of the United States would
establish bureau and employ speakers
to present the claim of the banks proper
ly before the public, men who could in
plain speeches show the farmer and 9TH
ers that if the banks charge high for ac-
commodation, it is the fault of legislation
and not of the banks themselves much
of the present hostility which exists
against banks would be removed
Letters favoring the idea of such bu :
reau of education were read from Comp
troller Eckles and others.