The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1911-06-30


iivered the following address befor
the bankers yesterday:
Good Farming and It's Relation I
the Bankers of North Dakota is a sub
ject Of prime Importance at this mo
ment. I have a message which ! hop
to convey to you through this subject
and should I fail, will feel that al
opportunity has been lost.
No class of business men has
greater responsibility than the bank
ers. The more we analyze business
economics the firmer is our belief IL
the banker. He is an economic neces.
Eity; he is the public purse. TIL,
sterling silver mesh bags so popular
today with our ladies are artistic, uni
que, and embellish a smart street suit
No chain is stronger than the weakest
link. These bags are made up of thous'
ands of tiny silver wire links. One i'm
perfect link may spell disaster to the
loose coin on the inside. What con-
trast to the good old fashioned straI
tied purses our grandmothers carried
congratulate the bankers of North
Dakota as not being Of the silver
mesh bag kind. Last year demon
strated beyond doubt the solvency and
strength Of the banks of your state.
The very first thought in your minds
should be the absolute security of your
depositors' money. If their funds are
well invested or safeguarded, they and
your stockholders will suffer no loss
and have no complaint. You may not
make so much at the jump as the pyro-
technic mesh bag banker, but you will
serve your fellow man better and your
reward will be enjoyed every day by a
clean, unworried conscience.
Legitimate Ambition.
1t is legitimate and righteous am
bition to make money honestly If ac-
companied with assistance to others
having the same desire. 1t is the fell
low who wants to accumulate for
moneys sake only who is unworthy a
niche in our citizenship. Don't spend
the first thirty years of your life in
ptling up dollars with no other motive
but the selfish, unholy ambition to see
how much you can get, and then suffer
softening of the brain. accompanied
by great fear to approach st. Peter,
and spend the last ten years of your
life in devising foolish plans to give
away the accumulated fortune Moth
ing is so pitiable as to see an old man
in fear Of losing the haven of eternal
rest because of his accumulations.
Builders of North Dakota.
You bankers are the builders of
North Dakota. Perhaps your modesty
forbids its admission, but you are the
moulders and hackers of practically
every advanced thought for the uplift
of your state. Your state is a COM
monwealth of small towns, and for a
great many years ii will be.
Individually. you are members of
councils, mayors OF cities and villages,
presidents of school boards and treas
urers of religious, fraternal and NUM-
cipal organizations. You are member
or are affiliated with every fraternal
organization in your town, pillar of
the church, even II you do swear oc-
casionally, and probably boss of your
own political faction. If there were no
factions when you arrived, or one
which you could not swallow, you pro-
ceeded Immediately to organize one,
possibly to secure the deposit of a part
of the public funds. You felt the need
of 1t and you certainly were entitled to
it, at least you thought so. Your in
ffuence in the community was soon
felt if for the bad, you are soon dis
covered and cussed roundly; II for the
good, you are honored by the respect
and gratitude of your neighbor, which
is the greatest reward in this life.
Everyone of you have, at one or
more times, been called into the back
room of your bank by Mr.. or Mrs
Jones and asked for advice in their
domestic troubles or to settle some
neighborhood dispute. They consult
with you when John is sick, and go to
you In preference to a lawyer for adj
vice as to their business affairs. You
have been called upon in the middle Of
the night to go for doctor for a sick
child, and asked to do hundreds of Jobs
as errand boy for your farmer friends.
You have been solicited to contribute
to the building of country churches, to
respond to all sorts of charities and
enterprises, and last but not least to
assist at Dutch weddings where you
have, no doubt, shown with scintillat-
ing splendor.
Close Personal Contact.
Because of your position in the COM
munity you act as lawyer, minister and
physician to our people. You are the
head of the great farming family.
When You so into the country, the good
housewife gets out her only white table
linen and insists upon your staying
for meal. wonder If you fully real
lie the moral as well as the financial
responsibility you must carry for your
community. Many a time / have heard
q friend say: Il would rather be big
toad in small puddle than a little
toad in big puddle" and If he con-
templates the life of country banker
appreciate the wisdom of his re-
mark.
The condition which gives everyone
of you the greatest pleasure is when
you have sent Mr.. and Mrs. Jones out
of the office with some valuable advice
or some encouraging suggestion.
Through this close personal every
day contact with your neighbor. you
are rounded out into good men and |
factors in the citizenship of the state;
and as a result Of this neighborly con-
hdence in you, you can reach the farm
ers with a heart to heart talk, when he
will not listen TO the theorist. He
listens to you, sometimes because he
finds 1t essential If he wants to remain
in the community. but more often be-
cause sort OF halo surrounds a mag
nettc banker. The farmer doesn't al |
ways realize that all the money in your
vaults doesn't belong to you, especial
ly If he is a borrower, but instinctively |
land I sympathize with him, as I |
have the same feeling-he believes you
are honest or you wouldn't be trusted |
with the money, and you are prosper
ngfg mr. v0l4 rN11ld MT Lnov~ ~.