The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-16
ALABAMA BANKERS
 GREATEST SESSION.

Feace pc 10 you whilst youk .e ness be with you at all times. Jam bidding you welcome. a heaEc zwei- come, hand you the key to oy arts. '' ror our homes tSs eissI1d. sqd to soT. our Montgomery Gen. R. F. On. as di- ssssf nsss tSe Ss fai addrsss sas't of keome
 "The pleasing priviisS of welcoming you on behalf of the Montgomery Clear ing House Association has been ac- corded me It Is indeed a pleasure to House Banks on this occasion, and a signal honor to welcome so disttn- gMshed body as the Alabama Bank CTS Association.
 honored by your presence here, we are delighted to extend you our hospitality, we are proud to have you in our midst. we recognize in you our leaders in and conservative action, and the prime movers in the doing of those things which tend to the development of the commercial and industrial interests or cal suggestion of the difficulty a rlcn man may experience in entering the Kingdom above, will have no personal Alabama Bankers Association, yet 1 wish to assure you on behalf of the Clearing House Banks that a royal welcome, at all times, awaits you Tn the earthly paradise, the City of Mont gomery. It is said. the first means or commenced with the dawn of banking. Out of the prosecutions of the Middle Ages arose the bill of exchange, first used to transmit large sums of money to evade the exactions of the robber princes of that period. Then 1t came into general commercial usage ana rapidly Facilitated the exchange or wealth throughout the world The hank ing hoa such enormous proportions that the commerce of the world is dependent upon it's successful operation. The bankers largely maintain the faith ana credit of the country. You are a po- tential factor in all material develop ment, you control a force unequaIled in the. affairs of men; you exercise a powerful Influence in shaping the des- tinies of nations.
 While welding so great a power In commercial and financial affairs, you are doubtless not unmindful of the fact that your prosperity largely depends upon the prosperity of the community in which you operate. upon healthful business conditions, upon public con- fldence. a safe and flexible currency system, honesty in corporate manage ment, and the mutual faith of man in man. It Is a matter of pardonabl pride and congratulatiou that during the recent period of financial depres- sion, the banks of Alabama stood like the rocks of Gibraltar, business inter- ests preserved their Integrity and safe- ly weathered the financial storm with.
 Having so successfully passed through this financial crisis. the Clear ing House Banks of Montgomery, on snls beautiful May morning, grateful aSr a9 tbssr tnerr measure of prosperity, proud ate promises of a splendid Future, gladly join with the city of MontRom, eTy ed, m throwing, open her gates ana guests. who are here to participata in in your proceedings. a most hearty. siFs- cere and cordial welcome.
 eos yo %sic0Rs Ws xrnst xS% yss tsst thrice wet here win be pleasant and enjoyabie, and that lasting benefits will result from your deliberations"
 John H. Frye, president of the Trad CTS National Bank, of Birminebam 're- spondlng Tor the Association, said:
 MT. President and, Gentlemen:
 we nave been very eloquently and cordially welcomed to this city in which we take a measure of pride bsrSIu second to that which her own citizens feel. For this is both their city an6 ahie5 odhrisMtne capital of the, great State to It's adopted sons or whether, as is the Alabama. Aii State our lot is cast, there are natuTa resources and sources of wealth and Industry in process of develonn,ent the timber and shipping interests of region just bordering 1t, the maEnifi. cent cement and lime deposits of Southern Alabama, the fruit raising odai OF another .nh Ir part of the State, and the the peculiar possession of this section In which we are met, is d product of which our Southern States have, if moi monopoly certainly 1a complete con trol. MT. hfrady said of cotton: If is the heritage that God gave to this peo- pie forever as its own, when he arched our skies, established our mountains, girt about us the ocean, loosed the breezes. tempered the sunshine and measured the rain. Ours and our chii- dren's forever as princely a talent as stewardship.' ''' 'o'
 "A great city was built here with cotton as the chief If not the only which Is being built as a result of inc industrial and manufacturing era which mas begun here. And what city in the sess seulh and mas better right to expect sue Ilnes! Tn the center of the cotton belt, yet near enough the mineral district to manufacture iron and steel. with six great systems of railroads, with a magnificent water power at hand with water transportation open twelve months in the year to every seaport on the globe. with these and other ad. vantages what can stay the march of this city's progress? ''
 A representative of the English crown In this country who greatly ad- ington, once said that whenever he usefulness lines, of that adnlinistration. he felt like exclaiming-- --'Esto perpetua, both the Capital of our State ana tbs Cradle of the Confederacy. So great Is our pride in her glorious history, so abiding our faith in her splendid convention and in conclusion say. to the City of Montgomery -Esto pernet1 ua, be thou established forever"
 Mir. McGrath's Address.
 The excellent paper read by Mir Mo Grath was the principal address of interest. Happily. enough. MT. Me Grath said prefatorilY. had he chosen co-opera tfon, one of the eminent prin- ciples of the Alabama Bankers Asso- citation. as his theme. MT McGrath said:
 "The necessity of cooperation among the banks of all States of the Union grows more essential year by the matter of currency reform within the last few years. the upheaval In the fall of 1907, from which the country is now only slowly recovering, would herent method of relief submitted-no cooperation. The multiplicity of plans submitted and the confusion of ideas advanced. emphasized the need of edu- the ebb and flow of our currency sup ply in a proper ratio to the demands of our commerce. Some of the plans presented not only failed signally to the gold reserve from this country. In a wild desire to do something. as em-