The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-05-27
A WARNING NOTE
J.R. MuIvane Tells Bankers Ma
tiOn Needs Economy.
Veteran Thinks People Are LlV-
ing Too Fast Today.
1T CLOSES TONIGHT.
Kansas Bankers Association
Convention to End.
Gathering Has Been Success
Visitors Pleased.

Of +he Kansas Bankers association is
about to close. 1t has been in every
way a success. At noon the total reg
istration had reached S52-63S men and
PA women.
This morning the most important ad-
dress was given by ]. r. Mulvane,
president of the Bank of Topeka. 1t
follows in part:
1.-The ideal banker will be wise
teacher of sound financial doctrines; not
ITtoDiau in his views but always recoB-
nizing that two and two make four
under all conditions. 1 would not have
rim a peSsimist, nor yet would have
him be such an optimist as to always
dwell in the clouds, but a teacher OF
the soundest policies for his county,
for his state and for the nation. The
banker should not be political ran
ter, nor a dealer in idle and question
able gossip, nor a seeker after office.
''Of the eleven hundred banks in Kan
sas fully three-fourths of the stock is
owned by farmers and business men
who are in the majority on most OF the
directories. All these citizens are deep
" interested IN that policy which pro-
ciuces best finarcial results Banking
is the outgrowth OF business nlE1ted
only by the law of service Our day OF
great inventions has worked and is
WORKING a revolution in business meth
ods.
'Time and space have been almost
annihilated, our oceans have become
ferries. and the nations of the world
our competitors. To successfully meet
the demands of the present, great or
ganizatiOns with large capitals are or
1ieces ssity brought into being and are
proving blessings by lowering the cost
of many of the necessities of life. We
can surely regulate them and make
them our servants. Their organization
and successful operation has practical
II eliminated n host of middle men and
high salaried officials, and thereby re-
duced the overhead charge. VIII not
a fuller knowledge of existing condi-
tons help to do away with much Of
the unwarranted hostility to large ag-
gregations of capital. large capital be-
ing prime necessity to their success.
Manage Big Concerns Better.
Cant we better manage these large
aggregations than the many small ones
with their numerous officials? The over
head charge in. the manufacture OF
SOC, 900 barrels of salt is but little more
than on 100000 barrels, while the cost
per barrel is materially reduced. And
SC it is in the manufacture of sugar.
Cuban Muscovada sugar sold in New
York harbor on shipboard at 3.SS cents
per pound; the same day the best of
granuIated sugar sold in Topeka at
BIS cents per pound.
1.-The profit to the refner may have
been s125 per ton. The invention of
the Hungarian roller mill displaced
the French burrs and eliminated at
the same time the small mills. who
could not compete with the larger ones
with their low cost product. The same
process of reduction of the overhead
charge is met in the railroad world in
the amalgamation and absorption of
many small roads into one Our Santa
Fe has eliminated the overhead charge
In, oh IN &c Iox,
of large things. 'Tis apparent that
economy of production can only be
had by, in and through large aggre-
cations.
1--WE pay for the many presidents,
vice presidents, secretaries and treas
urers, and all the multitudinous
expenses of the smaller produc-
tion, in the higher prices of the
manufactured necessities of life. The
larger aggregations are enabled to en-
ploy the best experts in their several
lines and they get best results. All
food products and life necessities
should be handled in the way to con-
serve the masses by lowest prices.
Need Economy.
"a word on today's conditions. I
want to sound the note for more econ
omy. We are living too fast, both for
our pocket books and for our stom-
achs The easy money of the last five
years has been reflected in higher
values of lands, due. in part to cheap
er money, in part, to increased popu-
lation and the gradual congestion of
population on this western border OF
arabic land, which has in a degree
Over-run the great area embracing the
Mississippi and Missouri valleys There
are no new Mississippi and Missouri
valleys on this continent; hence, we
are experiencing land hunger.
atTha 90 iro Of
in the last thirteen years, from $22.70
TO $34.42, being a net increase ot
$3.50, is about the same as the per
cent of increase of land values II
we have not reached the apex of the
present flush conditions. have we not
at least come in sight of the summit ?
Is not too much of our liquid capi-
tai going into fixed investments-land
and city property-thus lessening the
cash available for business? The
wicked increase of tax burdens, which
has been astounding during the last
ten years, extending to cities, coun-
ties and states, is appalling. Our leg
lslatures and congress sit up nights to
devise methods of taxation instead of
striving for economical reductions of
expenditures.
Our duty is to demand retrench-
ment and genuine reform in the .$hoIe
public service, and we should never
Oi SCI THAT banking is the OutgrOWth
OF business limited only by the law OF
service"
Shellings Is Heard.
J. NJ. Shellings, jr.. cashier of the
Coats State bank, gave an interesting
address on The Younger Fellows
No doubt the majority of the dele
gates mere today" said he "are men
under 40 years of age.
One great point in favor of these
young bankers is that they were raised
IN times of adversity and learned the
value of a dollar, and 1 believe these
past experiences will be a great bene-
fit to them.
THE first need of the young banker