Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1909-11-09

actual civic leaders may never be
drawn from the lists of these impos-
ing names, nevertheless here lies the
burden of responsibility, here the
greatest obligation for public service.
Keeping in mind the parable of the
talents, we direct attention to the fol
lowing:
Number of banks in Chi
cag0 .-.......-..- %
Capital, surplus and profits
of these banks .........$ 115,213,0o1
Deposits - .. s15,563,O36
Number of local public
utility industrial and
miscellaneous corpora
lions largely managed by
Chicago bank directors. "a
Capitalization of these "a
corporations 1850. 1,32434z,332
In contemplation we have assembled
the names of the governors of the
great banks of Chicago. Here we find
the essence of wealth, the highest de-
gree of power for good or evil. the
epitome of obligation, the modern in
stance of the talents. They are the
men who directly or indirectly are re-
sponsible for the custody, the ex-
change and the use of money as it
affects the welfare, public and private,
of the entire community.
In their hands as trustees for stock
holders and depositors there is nearly
billion dollars of money-twice and
half as much as the assessed value
Of all the property in Chicago. Half
of the business of a great city de-
ponds upon them; the livelihood, the
welfare, the prosperity and progress of
more. much more, than half of the
community is involved in the admins
tration of their trust. There is not
one of them, nor one of US, who can
afford at this time not to study the
parable of the talents, and we may ask
of them, and they may ask of them
selves, how they have served as stew
ards for the talents placed in their
hands for a profit. There are among
them those who have paid cent per
cent upon the cash intrusted to them
and who have earned great sums upon
that which they themselves possess;
and there are others who have paid
greater and better dividends upon the
greater and truer charge PLACED
their keeping. They are the serY
of their stockholders and the servants
of their customers. They are also
servants of all the people Of Chicago
and of the people of the country about
1t. What have they done with their
talents? If they have been good stew
ards, their reward is sure-in tangible
profit and in the greater profit which
accrues to man whose work is well
done and done for the many. But If
they have been selfish and afraid of
public service, and If any of them has
buried his talents, let him not forget
that unto every one that hath shall
be given, but from him that hath not
shall be taken away even that he
hath
AS is always true when the drowsy
soul of human progress turns in its
torpor and shakes Off the little drugs
of petty things, 1t calls to account the
world over. and in America especially. |
those who have abused trust placed |
in them. Public men have been sum-
moned to the bar of public opinion;
the heads of great insurance societies |
and the heads of great systems of
railways have been called to account |
Some have been punished by law.
Some have gone free with clean hands;
some with a stern admonition that if /
they did not better their ways their 7
time would not be long; others have |
died, yes, literally died, from the scorn |
OF the people; and some have stood 7
great figures, complex and intellectual. I
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