The age-herald., 1897-08-18
DOWN TO WORK
 ARE THE BANKERS
cesud aslla modg psnpuoo)


 banks in their respective territories This i resulted tn gain of 9S2 members who Joined between si;Qt. 1. 1886, and Aug. 1o l&i. This makes a net gain over last years 8 total membership of 617
 The roll now embraces:
 National banks, 1,45S state banks. 75s; private bankers, 225 total, 2,s13 With combined capital and surplus of Sssab0I los, and deposits of s. ITS S32 40; to- tai $4 173, ,439 S9S
 This dcss not include the capital and de- no statements.
 & This progress is due to the harmonious lent work done by the protective commit tse, and the complimentary notices from l the press throughout the country. When the recent stagnation of business IS considered, the growth of the association IS gratifying, and now that prosperity is returning it points to even a. higher plane of practical usefulness. It is pleasant to note the indorsement of this assoeiation's present policy at the convention of the state bankers associations; the local or ganizatons are recognizing that this cen tral association is the complement to thsm- selves and reaches into channels they can not enter. Continued accord can only re- suit in mutual benefits.
 It is impossible to estimate what can be accomplished by the qualification and con cer'sration of the vast interests and far reaching influence of members of the diff ferent bankers associations towards the suppression of crime, the promotion of the nations credit and welfare, and to shape legislation which has for a guide-justice. 0ANA''f NdNi'S AiSht'
 Very resneetfully,
 JAMES R. BRANCH. Secretary.
 William F. Porter treasurer of the as- s:,isl.fon. reported receipts of cash s17,- 179 and disbursements $1S5s9.
 Joseph c. Hendgick. of New York. sub- mitted the report of the protective com mit.se, which is composed of thrae bank CTS whose names are kept si cret and who act under the diraction of the executive cora'eil in taking steps for the arrest and conviction of parties charged with crimes agaire1t members of the association.
 During the last year not a member of tile association had lost a dollar through burglary and every professional criminal to whom the attention of the committee has been called has been either convicted is awaiting trial or turned sta te's evi- -dence.
 MT Hendricks calAed attention to the felct that there had been no noted swim dIes Or fcrgeries during the year
 Alvah Trowbrdge. of New York. sec retary of the executive council said the only important business of last nights session was the consideration. of two amendments to the constitution. sub committee on the amendments had been appointed and J. c. Hendricks, it's chair man. reported favorably on the proposed amendments. One of them increases the representation of the state association, the executive council from three to five and the other puts the nomination of off 2 cers more largely in the hands of the membsr of the committee instead of leav- ing it to the council. Both amendments were unanimously adopted
 The report of the committee on uniform laws was read by Frank W. Tracey, of
 Your committe on uniform laws was directed by the executive coun- cil at its meeting in April last, to pre- pare with such legal assistance as might be desired a uniform law for commercial paper. Fortunately for the committee there was published in the American Bankers Magazine for March a negotia- ble instrument law which seemed to be a better law for the purpose than any which we could possibly frame
 "Hon Lyman D. Brewster of Danbury, Conn.,, president of the conference of commissioners of uniform state laws, freely and heartily gave the committee authority to adopt it for recommendation to your association"
 In speaking of the merits of the new law the report says:
 "A mos useful or a more thoroughly prepared statute on commercial paper would be difficult to find All the funda- mental principles and essential defini- tions of the law on commercial paper; the law, in short, of some ten thousand re- ported eases, is in substance condensed into thirty-six pages. The disputed points and various laws whose discussion occu- pies so large share of two and three volume treatises on the subject are de- cidedly harmonized. This law has al- ready been adopted by the states of New Jersey, Connecticut and Colorado. It has become law in the state of New York to take effect October 1, 1897 Shall we not hope that the efforts of the Bankers as- sociation, added to those of the American Bar association, will result in placing the law on tAe statute books of all the re- maining states within a reasonable pe- riod of timer?
 The report concludes by recomm ending th. appointment of committee to corre- SpOnd with the several State- a seocia- tions and look generally after. the pas sage of the law by the state legislatures.
 The remaining report on the pro- gr=mme was that of the committee on formation of bureau of education sub mibted by Chairman William c. Cornell He said that if the bankers of the United States would establish bureau and em- ploy speakers to present the claims of th- banks properly before the nuhlic