The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-12-24

IOiIOWsng. here Ice . man VINO Wa
wise enough to draw around HIN young.
or and ADLER men than himself
Herein lies one Of the main attributes
necessary in the composition Of the Ideal
bank president. He must thoroughly
understand organisation and have tho
faculty Of selecting good heutenants.
upon whom he must lean. giving iati-
tude and placing upon them certain
amount Of responsibility. Essential
thereto is such thorough organization
that results, whether satisfactory or dis
appointing. may be brought home to the
particular person responsible therefor.
He should have the wisdom 70 en-
courage and promote the sense of mu-
tual dependency, the community OF cog
ship. as It were. In the institution. and
sufficient stamina to quickly eliminate
check Influences tending to interrupt the
harmonious working Of the unit.
In this day and age. competitive
banking has come to stay. II bank
has but its own capital to work with It
might better invest II In safe per cent
bonds and 60 out OF business. The
profit lies in making money on the cash
Of others. placed in the banks care for
! adjustment OF banking connections, or
1 for the inducement Of interest. And the
public Is beginning to understand this.
The trend is to stick to the bank where
right treatment. q sense Of cordially In
the transaction OF business is dominant,
where is present in the bank at all
times some one in a position to act with
intelligence and decision on every ques-
ton that may come UP. Men form
friendships lasting that result in bust
ness to the bank. Friendships may be
capitalized 'as good will.
The ideal bank president must be q
big man. Indeed. this essential probably
ought to come first in the list.
1t Is not essential that man should
grow up in the banking business, al
| though many successful presidents have
| thus come up from the messengers po-
sition and on through the various posts
with the danger that, unless he Is big
to bigness, he will. when at the zenith.
give too much attention to detail and
forget the larger duties OF his position.
Marshall Field, the erstwhiie merchant
prince of Chicago, whose estate is grow
| ing by millions annually, was one of the
biggest men of his day. and his was a
] busy day and age. He would unques-
| tionably have made good at the head OF
would have made 1t large; II II WA
large, he would have made II larger,
And Philip D. Armour. of Chicago, wa
| in the same class with Marshall Field.
| Either Of these men could have stepped
into the presidency Of q bank or trust
company and b. reason OF their knowl-
edge Of men and business matters, by
! reason OF their close touch on the pulse
Of the business world. Of their intimate
knowledge Of custom. and their Carne-
gte-like ability to gather around them
tthe best business talent. would have
stepped to the front. Details would have
been entrusted. and responsibility foI
| their care demanded.
! A Chicago piano man, trained in the
business school Of that metropolis. quit
the Steinway and became the head of q
trust company. and the pace and growth
| thereof. to connection with one of the
largest, II not the largest, combination
In banking circles in the United States
and he still heads 1t.
A. Chicago newspaperman. whose only
knowledge Of finance was absorbed by
daily calls on bankers and security men
and a studious disposition, with travel
and investigation. is at the head Of the
greatest bank In the country. and when
i he talks out loud the whole world has
Its ear to the ground.
! This In support of the argument that
It Is not absolutely necessary to grow
up in the business
The ideal bank president should not
be ENGAGED. nor should 1t be necessary
for a customer to send in q card. There
should be retiring rooms where such
matters as need discussion with Gus
| toners might be considered in quiet
and II is within rights that customer .
not be permitted. Long confabs that
require The attention of the president to
one matter. to the exclusion Of a score
that may be brough. I'D to him. should
unless insistent. And there are mer
big enough not to be kept waiting
men who are BY reason OF Importance
entitled to instant recognition.
to stature. but to iargeness in matter,
large in knowledge. in reading. in ia.
miliarity with The financial. and bust
s 81 s ali m ns m0r aass
business. not small in anything; eau
titus. but not tmid: genial. hut not do
ciie: man who has a YES and 8
mo" at his tongues end, ana car
Grafton. unless 1t be matter that re
quires Investigation and elaboration.
| A man with much kindness Of hear
for his fellow-man, but careful OF tn,
interests of the institution under hi,
care.
A man who will trust his employee,
after they have bonded, for some on,
must be trusted.
The bank president should upderstan,
that a satisfied customer Is one of tn
best advertisements, invaluable, an,
l persistent. He passes the story of hi
! satisfaction along, he introduces hi
friends. Moreover and especially in thi
city, the small account must be nurse,
4 lit sometimes grows and the younI
business man Of today is the head O
some growing concern of tomorrow
Moreover there seems to be such
community of relationship that som
of the most valuable accounts ar
cousins of some Of the most unprofit
/ able.
One bank president introduced q sys
tenn of knowing each and every de
posit9r-knowing his or her bushes
| connections. place Of business, some
thing of methods and history-and tn
card system was valuable when re
quests for accomm odations came In
not from regular business men, blu
from depositors In various walks o
life; when attempts were made. as the
are now and then. to take advantag
of a bank by establishing good credi
and then putting over a few bad check
and getting away with the spells o
| even greater swindles.
Killing checks Is next to impossible