The Monroe journal., 1911-08-15
MR.. BLAKENEY'S ADDRESS.
Wilmington Paper Says the Ad-
dress Was One of the Best
Ever Heard.

alton met AT Nrlghtsvllle last
Wednesday and Thursday. NJ.
". :. Blakeney presided AZ its
president. OF his address, the
Star, which prints il in full, says
President w. :. Blakeney,
who is president of the Bank of
Union. Monroe, made a few in
troductorv remarks and then
made as his annual address one
of the best speeches ON banking
subjects, in the opinion of those
who heard il, that has ever been
delivered before the Association.
He outlined the purposes of the
Country Bankers Association,
stating that it had not been form
ed TO antagonize in any way the
State organization. but was really
intended TO supplement the in
fluence and usefulness of the lar
ger body. Outlining some of the
harmful tendencies that are the
rule in some sections at the pres
ent time, he declared that many
OF the financial institutions were
counting failure by their rash
methods and open violation of
banking ethics. Mr.. Blakeney
touched upon the action of the
State Association recently at
Lake kanuga in adopting a reso-
luton looking to the revision of
the State banking laws, and pro-
yiding for the drafting of bill
TO be presented TO the next State
convention. He advised every
member present to study the pro-
posed measure and he prepared
to vote intelligently on il when
the time came. He also discuss.
ed at some length the need of a
currency reform, and advocated
the central bank idea. He stated
that because good measure
came through an Aldrich or a
Nreeland il would not do to
spurn il. Picturing the benefits
and advantages that would ac-
crue from currency system un-
der which no panic could exist,
Mr.. Blakeney declared that while
country bankers might not have
a large voice in great questions
ike this, they still had duty
to perform and added that he
should give the matter careful
study so that he might be fitted
to work mtelligently for the bet
terment of conditions. "
Some Extracts From the Speech
The banking business is as old
as civilization and we might ex-
pect that everything would move
along certain well defined prin-
clpleS and that mooted questions
would be reduced to a minimum
and friction eliminated. Now.
while il is true that no profession
outside the ministry and educa-
tion perhaps occupies a better
atmosphere or receives more def
erence i'll the popular estimation
than banking, it still remains
fact that many details of policy
and management are much at.va-
rance and stand in need of mere
harmony. No congress, no legis-
lature and no mind has ever vet
devised a code OF laws sufficient
TO form Il perfect government
and it can not he done through
anything less than divine agency.
80 We need not expect any leg
iSlature or amy association of |
bankers 10 cure all the evils |
and troubles that creep into the /
banking business, but these are
agencies of no mean Importance
and should be utilized to the very
best advantage in bring about |
better and more homogeneous re-
suits. The troubles in banking
as III everything else are trace
able to the frailties of human
nature and the fact that banks
run as well as they do speaks
volumes for the class of men who
stay at the helm. But bankers
being human one of the first sub
ject which should engage our at
tention is banking ethics.
Our associations, whether coun-
try, State or National, should
get together and promulgate
set of rules or fix certain stand
ards which must not be violated
and beyond which honorable
bankers may not 60 in their race
to capture the other fellows bust
ness. In other words. certain
practices now prevalent amongst
the most eovetous should be con-
demmed and power lodged with
a L..