The herald., 1897-08-12
OFFICE OF THE HERALD,

troit, Mich, on August 17th 18th and
18th. Discussions will be opened by Sc
lected speakers, limited to thirty minutes,
to be followed by a general debate, linn
tied under five-minute rule.
Twelve topics will form the basis Of these
discussions, as follows:
l. Is credit bureau or a bureau of in
formation, to prevent losses from bad
debts, feasible among banks?
2. What legislation is needed with re-
spect to the currency?
8. Savings banks.
4. Organized capital, privileges and
duties.
5. Are clearing houses for country checks
practicable?
g. How would national banks with
capital less than $4,000 be of benefit to the
country?
I. Would branch banks be beneficial or
the reverse?
s. Comparative profits of trust compa-
mics and banks.
9What can be done to increase the use
fulness of the American Bank associa-
ton?
TO- Responsibility in receiving checks
for credit.
II. Currency shipments by registered
mail.
II. Express money orders.
In addition there will be formal adj
dresses by Hon. Lyman Gage secretary
of the treasury, and Hon. James II. EckeIs,
comptroller of the currency. This is the
swenty-third convention of the associa-
ton. The president is Mr.. Robert J. Low
cry of Atlanta. Ga. Mr.. S. Prcntiss Smith,
assistant cashier of the Bank of Califor-
mia, is the vice-president for California.
Many of the banks in California are men,
bers of the association. State associations
are entitled to send delegates. 1t is hoped
chat the California Bankers association,
through its executive committee, will see
that the state is properly represented at
the Detroit meeting.
+ + =
The large commercial banks in London
have an arrangement by which they make
all dealers accounts sources of profit, says
the Philadelphia Commercial List. Gus
toners whose balances are so small that
their accounts are not profitable to the
bank under the ordinary method of deal
ing, are required to pay fee for the priv
ilege Of keeping their account with the
bank. If a small dealer whose average
balances do not justify the bank in car
rying the account desires to open an
count, he finds no difficulty in doing so
by entering into an arrangement where
by he pays the bank fee for taking care
of the money and cashing the checks. In
fact, it is customary with the CONNER
niai ha in tn a oh
watch over the daily balance of their deal
ers, and whenever it is found that the
dealers account ceases to become source
of revenue for any considerable time, the
dealer is notified and given an opportu-
nifty, if he desires to continue his rela-
ttions, to enter into agreement by which
he will compensate the bank for the serv-
ice 1t renders him.
= \ =
1t ought to be of interest to Americans
ITO know that the showing made by Brit
fish trade so far in 1897, unsatisfactory as it
Ms in many respects, would have been far
less soothing to British minds had it not
been for the abnormal demand from this
country to anticipate tariff changes. The
London Statist expects that the subsidence
VI lIe llllS IOlllH Will eStTClSe
an apprecable effect upon British export
trade in the near future. The effect of
the jubilee celebration upon the June totals
is conceded to have been perceptible, but
1t is a notable fact that the May and June
export-trade totals combined were nearly
$1,000, 900 smaller than in 1896 and had it
not been for exceptional shipments to the
United States the showing would, it is
admitted, have been even less encouraging.
That the situation might have been much
worse is, however, claimed by the Statist,
which says:
Considering the circumstances of the
half year to June 30th-that India has been
visited with fannie and plague, and has
had to exercise the most severe economy;
that we have had a war between Turkey
and Greece, that there has been political
apprehension in both Europe and South
Africa, that trade in the United States
has not revived, that South America gen.
orally has been politically and financially
unsettled, that Argentina in particular
has been severely hit by damage to her
crops, and that in Australasia trade is
still depressed-our foreign trade for the
half year has been wonderfully well main
tained. 1t has, however, to be borne in
mind that our export trade has derived
temporary benefit from the introduction
into the United States congress of a most
stringent tariff, and that in the face of the
trade depression in the states American
merchants have bought large quantities
of British--and, we may add, European
goods in order to forestall the tariff.
The influence of this latter buying upon
British trade is conceded to have been
considerable, as since the tariff has been
under discussion in this country we have
bought nearly 20 per cent more British
goods than we did a year ago.
= 4 r
Wheat is moving upward, freights are
steady but firm at quotations, and all
branches of general merchandise show
signs of activity, says the Commercial
News. 1t seems possible that between
klondyke, improved values to the agri-
culturist and continued export demand
this state will fare very well this year
without assistance from Washington In
fact, some believe Washington eventually
Will call on this coast to be helped out
OF bad box. But the Commercial
news Is sufficiently optimistic to believe
II the people OF the country can be assured
OF anything permanently, and by perma-
nently it means at least one presidential
term business conditions can be adiusted
accordingly, and fair returns earned for
labor and capital
=