The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-05-22
BANKERS HAPPY AT
z LUNCHEON GIVEN AS
FAREWELL FEATURE
tcoNTINuED FROM PAGE 81


move the secrecy which has previously
surrounded their business by careful, lib
eral advertisings He classed bankers in
three divisions.
Il. The first believes all publicity or adj
vertising to be vulgar, undignified and
unethical.
.. The second thinks there may be
something in it, but he considers 1t I'M
dignihed to make bid for business, so
he stops at card in the town paper and
the distribution of a pretty calendar.
%. The third is a business man who
wants business, and he tells his people
so and tries to show them how he can
serve them to their advantage.
1.-THE first and second kinds of banker
are not in tune with the times. They are
not giving the people what they want.
1.-THE people want five things:
"a. To know what the banker will do
to guarantee the depositor from loss.
81 To know what the banker will do
to prevent the money stringency in times
of local or national need.
"3. To know what the banker will do to
prevent banks going into or backing
stock-iobbing deals-and the bribery of
city treasurers and finance committees.
"a How directors can be made to direct
'5. To know the men who run the bank
and hear what they have to say for them
selves and the bank.
"All this means one thing-pub1icity' OF
the widest, freest. most searching sort
And in closing he said
Finally, gentlemen, I hope you will not
misunderstood these remarks
I'm a work of nearly 20 years | have
become somewhat intimately acquainted
with the currents ehbing and flowing un-
der American business.
The advertising man caters to no class
except his possible customers. He has
no end save results. He has no ethics
save service. He has no ideals save
making good. He has no rigid theories
bound up in the winding sheet of sacred
economies. His work % to know each
day what the great American public $
heart is turned to- and what its head
is thinking.
This is real thing-this human sentl-
ment we are dealing in. 1t is a part of
the web and woof of our American busi-
ness lfe-dont forget it-don't try to
ignore it. You can't win the highland
you can't get along without the public.
You can lead it-for there is nothing SO
childlike and faithful as this public of
ours-with its friends whom it knows and
in whom 1t has confidence 1t will fol-
low even unworthy leaders whom it be-
lieves in and admires. 1t will go to war
for the men who have proven worthy of
its confidence.
Il pIedu toudy WIN you Tor a larger
public sympathy with your people and
mine. You need 1t most of all-you men
of money. you who must enter through
the needles eye, and how like a needless
eye Is the entrance for the rich man to
the heart of people.
II have tried today to show you, at the
risk of being prosy and trite, one or two
fundamentally wrong things that are the
excuse for public suspicion.
This is the day for fair men, unself1sh
men, courageous men.
They are not found In the star cham
hers or in the secret conferences.
You need this publicity most, you men
OF wealth, because 1t is your privilege ia
devote yourselves to the public veal We
give you a privilege. yes, but we exact
the price-feality and sngle-hearted de-
votion to duty.
BE assured that we shall have 1T"
Senator Hammer speaks
f. d. Hammer of Alfalfa made an in
teresting study of state banks. He be-
gan with
1T is both pleasure and an honor
to have the privilege of addressing the
associated bankers of Alabama: moi
that / cons'ider myself capable of in
structing YOU as to the management,
of your own business. but the fact tn al
you would invite me, as one standing
on the outside of the cashiers window