The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-01-16
Could Be Considered at Regular
Session Year Hence.
NOT WARRANTED NOW
Normal Banking Conditions and
Confidence Restored.
Don't Want Experiment or
Hasty Legislation.

Inc state Bankers association this
afternoon gave out the following state
ment:
"A meeting of the executive council
Of the Kansas Bankers association was
held on Wednesday evening, January
Is. 1908. at the Hotel Throop, Topeka.
This is a representative body chosen
by the association and by the several
groups in their annual conventions
The meeting was well attended. and al
together harmonious. The bankers in
att endance, while officially representing
all the banks of the state, individually
represented SO state banks and 4S ma
tforal banks. The deliberations we're all
marked with spirit of fairness, and
the desire TO serve the highest interest,",
OF all the people. TO this end a number
of valuable suggestions We're made
looking toward the Improvement of the
present banking law.
The proposed guarantee deposit law
was made one Of the principal subjects
OF d1scussion-and the discussion of 1t
was impartial and eminently fair In
passing Judgment upon the question
the council as a representative body
desired to reflect as far as possible
the feeling Of the bankers of the state
upon the subject. While no recent Of
fetal poll had been taken, the senti-
ment from many sections of the state
SO far as known to the members pres
ent was reported and found to be al
most overwhelmingly against the en-
actment of such a law. Nor is it be-
l1eVed that there is any strong demand
from the people for such a law. Nor
did the council believe that there is
any emergency that calls at this time
f Tor the enactment of such measure.
The banks and the country have just
emerged victoriously. from the effect Of
a money panic.
Normal conditions are now re-
stored. The experiment of q guaran-
tee deposit law has just been under
taken in neighboring state, the oper-
alton of which can and will be OBJ
served with profit to the people of
Kansas, and in short time it will be
determined whether the experiment is
interests of the people of Kansas are
safe In the hands of the banks who
have shown themselves strong during
trying time. A regular session of
the legislature will convene year
hence, and by that time the question
will not only have had actual demon
stratfon, but the people will have had
opportunity to study it in all it's i'm
portant bearings. In the framing of
such measure a great variety of in
terests must be adjusted-interests not
likely to be anticipated by even the
best of men not familiar with prac-
teal banking The law would be in
equitable and inefficient and would
interests were not fully safeguarded
1t is practically impossible for
such a measure, requiring as it does
the most mature thought, to receive
adequate treatment by the legislature
in the hurry of short special session,
called to consider in addition to this.
several other large and important
questions. Moreover, it appeared
practically certain from Intelligence
received from the comptroller of the
currency at Washington, that nation
al banks will not be permitted to par
ticipate in the provisions of such a.
law. The national banks of Kansas
represent almost one-half the bank
ing capital of Kansas. 1t would ap-
pear unjust to enact legislation which
at this time could effect but about
one-half the banking interests of the
state. Nor should such an arrange
ment be at all satisfactory to the peo-
pie. 1t would be less than half a law
The people who are asking for a
guarantee law have done so with no
other idea than that it's provisions
should extend to all the banks of the
state. For all these reasons the
members OF the executive council of
the Kansas Bankers association were
a unit in the opinion that no legisla-
ton of this character should be en-
acted at this special session.
~. w. BERRYMAN. Pres
wv w. BOWMAN Sec