The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-11
BANKERS PRAY.
Two Thousand Of Them Repeat
the Lords Prayer
At the Opening Of Their Annual
Convention.
ENDORSE ROOSEVELT.
They Pass Resolutions Thank
ing the President
For His Efforts in the Direction
Of Peace.
Convention Is Addressed by Sec
retary Shaw.

Washington, oct. 1.-THE thirty
drst annual convention of the Amer
lean Bankers association was opened
I'm the new National theater here to-
day with more than 1000 members
present. Standing during the invo-
cation of the Rev DR.. McKim the
bankers repeated the words of the
Lords Prayer at its conclusion. vel
coming addresses were made by John
JOY Edison, president of the local
bankers association. and Commits
stoner Mcfarland of the district gov
eminent. The bankers applauded the
mention of President Roosevelts
name as signifying civic honesty.
Responding to the welcome. Presi-
dent p. +. SWinney of the association
declined the KEYS of the city on be-
half of his brother bankers, to keep
their regulations inviOlate should
things be missing after they had
gone"
Interest was manifested in the an
Dual report of Secretary James r.
Branch, presented at the conclusion
of the address of President Swinney.
Secretary Shaw's Address.
Secretary Shaw, in the course Of his
remarks, said:
within the last half century the
United States has not only assumed i'm
A3tfA LcliEC aHlDAE GQIlI4GIClal countries
but in the last decade she has become
the greatest commercial nation Of the
world Not only do her exports ex-
ceed those of any other country, but
her domestic commence is two and one
han times as large as the aggregate
international commerce of the round
earth. While the eighty and more COM
merciaI countries are selling the one
TO the other merchandise worth S10,-
600 000 000 the American people sell to
each other merchandise worth rff-
caly S25, 600 COO, 600 These sfudendous
and incomprehensible figures make
some OF Us proud; some arrogant. They
should make Us all thoughtful and pre-
vent any of US from becoming reek-
lessly critical
The eime is coming with our in
creaslng population more largely urban
than ever, with factories multiplying
more rapidly than farms, with limit
less manufacturing resources and
matches aptitude for production
when the United States will need new
and important markets. The world may
come to US in its own ships for the
products OF our farms and the raw
products of our mines, but it will not
come in its own ships for the fnishe1
products of our factories. The time IS
coming when we viii need information
al bankers and information merchants
and an international merchant marine.
The United States is the owner of
the Philippine islands and these pos
sessions, plus the Panama canal, plus
a merchant marine would insure to the
American people somewhat more than
their present 10 per cent of the 600
millions of trade washed by the shores
OF the Pacific"
Secretary Shaw spoke of the great
output Of the United States and said:
I'VE transport this matchless prod
uct to our coast in better vessels, on
quicker time and at cheaper rates than
others. But at our coast line we are
brought to an abrupt halt. Here we
are no longer independent Our for
eign commerce is four times as large as
forty years ago, but we carry in our
own ships one-third as many gross tons
as forty years ago We have protect
ed ana encouraged every interest but
our merchant marine and every pro-
1ected interest has flourished. We have
every facility for international com
merce except International merchants,
international bankers and an interna-
tional merchant marine. Shall we not
havd these2 7 am not urging ship sub
sides. am speaking of results, not Of
methods"
secretary's Report.
Gentlemen: For two years the
work of the protective committee has
been conducted through the secretary s
oftice with a reduction of expenses.
During the past fiscal year, ending
August 81. 1905. the Pinkerton Nation
al Detective agency has obtained splen-
4A4 EEGulLS LQMaIQ5 EuUQEGS8l0g crime
Tor the association. They have cap
tured sixty-twO professional bank
criminals, thirty-five of whom have
been convicted. The protective work
of The association last year cost S26,-
OS1.61.
Education.
The committee on education has
organized thirty-seven chapters, an ad-
dition Of twelve during the last year.
FifJy-one students has already passed
preliminary examinations in practical
banking, eight in commercial law and
thirty-six on political economy.
The committee on uniform law, has
helped towards the adoption of the
negotiable instruments law by states
who have not already taken if M
Kansas, Michigan, Missouri and Ne
braska have adopted it during the past
year making a total of tWenty-nine
states now having this law on their
statutes.
During the past year 1,O3s mem
bers were lost through failure, liquida-
tion, consolidation and withdrawal
from the association This reduced the
membership September l. 1904. to
6,525. One thousand one hundred and
fifty-twO members have Joined since
that date. More members Joined the
association last year than ever before
in the history of the organization. Their
posts now amounts to s11,460,S75,-
Thanks for Roosevelt.
The convention enthusiastically adopt-
ed resolution thanking President
Roosevelt FOR his action in bringing
about peace between Russia and Japan.
The resolution was presented by former
Representative c. a. Pugsley, of Peels-
Kill, n. Y who said in explanation
that where a man had wrought a great
deeo In great way he was deserving of
great credit. He believed that it was