Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-12
AMONG THE BANKERS
VIEWS OF DELEGATES ON FL
NANCE AND OTHER TOPICS

Every banker who is attending the CON-
Vention of the American Bankers Associa-
ton in this city is more anxious every day
to tell the strangers he meets, and es-
pecially the prominent money men from
sections of the country other than his own
what fine opportunities there are in his
state or county for investment, and what
a splendid record of recent prosperity is
to be seen there.
1t is noteworthy that the banking men
from the south are particularly eager to
tell of their section. The betterment of
financial conditions in nearly every south
ern state in the past five years has been
something remarkable, they declare and
they can't keep it to themselves For
many years the south has relied on the
NORTH for the handling of much of its
business, especially since the war between
the two sections. But things are changing
now. group of North Carolina men, who
were talking together at the New Willard
Hotel this morning, were unusually en-
thusiastic over the phase of the situa ton
IN their state. which reflects the independ-
ent spirit of the business men.
The North Carolina Delegation.
There are between forty and fifty bank
efs from North Carolina in attendance at
the convention. One of them in the group
referred to, Mr. w. C. Wilkinson of Char
lotte, N. c., cashier of the Merchants and
Farmers National Bank of that city, said
this morning:
THE financial condition of the state IS
better than ever before The farmers are
in great deal better circumstances and are
growing more prosperous every year They
md 1T necessary to borrow less and less
all the time. Our manufacturing interests
are on a solid basis, and our cotton mills
are especially busy and well managed
Nearly all of the cotton mills are making
money. And banks have had a won
derful growth in the past four years In
that time their deposits have been prac-
tically doubled
And the thing that pieases us most is
that whereas formerly say about seven or
ten years back. about 81, Geo 600 more went
out of the state each year than came in to-
day things are materially changed and we
| are cutting into that balance every year In
| the past four years five or six life insurance
companies have been organized in the state
| by local business men and all are doing
We'll Insurance companies of other kinds
are also prospecting under local manage
ment. We are all proud of this advance"
| One of the most prominent North Caro-
| lfnians at the convention Is Joe" Brown of
! Raleigh. who stands high in the national
+! association and is slated for place on the
| new executive committee. He is president
| of the Citizens National Bank of that city
Another is John o. Ellington, late bank ex-
| aminer of the state. and now vice president
| of the Bank of Fayetteville.
Lone Star State.
| A commanding figure in the corridors of
| the New Willard Hotel this morning was
/ w III. Rivers. owner of the Bank of Elgin.
| Texas, president of the First National Bank
| of Thorndale. Texas. and an ex-president of
! the Texas Bankers Association He is a
! big, hearty man. and few men know more
| about their business than he or have made
! more OF success at It,
| we have about twenty men from Texas
/ at this convention" he remarked to a Star
reporter, and the reason there are not
! more is that this is our busy season with
/ the cotton down there. But"-and ne re-
| Elected a minute-"I honestly believe that If
| our bankers had known what a good time
| Washington had prepared for them every
/ one would have made special effort to
| leave his business and we would have had q
| much larger delegation"
| How are things down your way?. he
/ was asked.
We'll. sir" he began. Il have been a
| resident OF Texas for fifty years. That
state but few years ago was merely the
home of jack rabbits and Comanche Indians.
/ have seen the Indians going west and mo-
tioning to the white man to keep back.
| have seen the white man come west into
! Texas and turn that barren country Into