The record-union., 1898-08-26
The Conven tion at Denver Comes
to a Close.
George H. Russell Of Detroit Elected Presi-
dent for Ensuing Term.
The Retiring Presiding Officer,
Joseph G. Hendrix, Presented
With a Silver Punch Bowl by
the Members of the Association.

DENVER, Aug. 25.-The closing ses
sion of the twenty-fourth annual con-
vention of the American Bankers As
sociation opened with a full attendance,
the election of officers being the pro-
grom:
William L. Royal of Richmond, Va,
read a paper on THE Need of Bank
ing Facilities in Rural Districts"
w. S. Wood of the National Bank Of
Commerce Of Kansas City, Mo-, con-
demned the ideas advanced in Mr.. Roy
alls address from first to last. He de-
clared that the West had seen enough
of currency issued by national banks.
The banking business, he asserted, was
highly developed all over the country
In the East large commerce had led
to the establishment of banks of large
capital, while in the West smaller COM
merce had been satisfied with smaller
banks. In the West banks were too
plentiful. Competition had been SO ex
cessive that the banking business is
not profitable, and in many cases not
safe. He advocated the branch system
as the remedy for the trouble.
Mr.. Bonebrake of Kansas disagreed
with Mr. Royals assertion that coun-
try districts lack banking facilities,
especially in the West. He quoted fig
ures to show the amount Of money in
the hands of country banks in Kansas.
John P. Branch, President Of the Mer-
chants National Bank of Richmond,
Va, disagreed with all suggestions. He
favored perfecting country banks to is
sue currency on the same terms as city
banks
George A Reynolds, cashier of the
Continental National Bank of Chicago,
told in a paper on Uniform Laws for
Holidays, as Well as Days Of Grace"
John w. Faxon, assistant cashier of
the First National Bank of Chatta
nooga, Tenn, followed in a paper on
Developments"
w. S. Witham Of Atlanta, Ca, fol-
lowed in an address on THE Country
Banker"
The Nominating Committee then
made it's report, which was adopted
The officers elected are as follows:
President, George H. Russell, President
of the State Savings Bank, Detroit,
Mich; First Vice President, Walker
Hill, President of the American Ex-
change Bank, ST. Louis Mo-; one Vice
President for each State, including the
following: Arizona, II. B. Tenney; CAL
ifornia, F. c. Howes; Colorado, ]. E.
Hayes; Idaho, H. N. Coffin Montana,
E. B. Weirick; Oregon, c. H. Garfield;
Utah, L. S. Hills; Wyoming, G. H
Goble; Hawaii, S. M. Delmon.
Members of the Executive Council
for three years: Charles r. Hanna,
Council Bluffs, Ia; Homer w. Mccoy,
Peoria, ILL.,; S. r. Shoemaker, Hunting
ton, Pa; r. McCurdy, Youngstown, O.;
A. P Woollidge, Austin, Tex; Beekin-
ridge Jones, ST. Louis, Mo-; ]. c..
Mitchell, Denver; J. G. Brown, Raleigh,
N c.; N. L. Burge, Boston; Bradford
Rhodes, New York.
The officers elected were then duly in
stalled.
The retiring President, Joseph C.
Hendrix, was presented with a silver
punch bowl by the members of the as
sociation.
The convention adjourned sine die.
At the meeting of the Executive
Council, held after the adjournment of
the regular meeting of the association,
Alvar w. Trowbridge of New York
was reelected Chairman of the coun-
ell, James r. Branch of Virginia Sec
retary and G. NJ. Reynolds of Chicago
Treasurer.
The question of choosing a city for
the next annual convention was defer
red until the spring meeting of the
council, which meeting will occur in
New York.
There were receptions to the dele