Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-01-18
CITIZENS LEAGUE !.
ABILENE HEADQUARTERS FOR
KANSAS ORGANIZATION.
Businessmen Seek improvement Of
Financial COnditiOns---Want
Laws for Better Facilities
State Officers.

Ahc NltiNcHe league Vi haHsdk
affiliated with National Citizens
League for the promotion of SCUM,
banking system, will have headauar
tiers in Abilene. An office Is beini
fitted up in the Abilene Nationa
bank building. -
The officers of the League fol
Kansas are: President, C. M. Har
ger; vice presidents, Chancellor
Frank Strong of the University OF
Kansas; Ex-Governor w. J. Bailey
OF Atchfson; E. r. Moses Of Great
Bend; s. F. Woolard Of Wichita;
W. A. L. Thompson of Topeka; B,
J. Sheridan, Paola; ]. d. Lafferty,
Winfield; Geo. e. Tucker, Eureka;
James A. Kimball, Salina; w. Y.
Morgan, Hutchinson: Charles w.
Smyth, Wichita; secretary, Arthur
Hurd; treasurer, G. A. Rogers.
The movement is one that was
started by the businessmen of the
National Board Of Trade last year
and was a result Of the conditions
that followed the panic of 1907. 1t
was realized that something is nee
essary to Insure to the business in
terests of this country the accommo-
dations to which they are entitled
In time of financial stringency. The
League advocates the suppression OF
panics and hopes to see condition
under which disasters to soundly
managed business institutions In
times Of financial stress will be inn
possible. 1t has no bill of its own,
is not committed to the plan of any
interest or individual, nor does it
advocate or support any such plan.
It's position is clearly stated in the
following seven principles which it
hopes to have Incorporated into law:
Cooperation, not dominent CEN
tralization. OF all banks by an e"olu-
ton out OF our clearing house ex-
periencel
protection of the credit system
Of the country from the domination
OF any group of financial or political
interests.
independence OF the individual
banks, national or state, and uniform
treatment in discounts and rates to
all banks, large or small.
provision for making liquid the
sound commercial paper of all the
banks, either In the form of credits
or banknotes redeemable in gold or
lawful money.
elasticity of currency and credit
in times OF seasonable demands and
stringencies, with full protection
against over-expansion.
"Legalization of acceptances Of
time bills OF exchange in order to
create a discount market a: home
end abroad.
he organization of better bank
/. facfTftias with other u5antries,
to aid in the extensions Of IA foreign
tsate."
Just how this shall be worked out
is matter for congress, hacked up
by the businessmen of the country,
and organizations in fwEnty-nine
states similar to the one IN Kansas
have already been formed.
The central organization is at
Chicago, with Rohn ", Farwell as
president and, j. Laurence Laughlin
of University OF Chicago, the well
known authority on econUmics, ex-
ecutive chairman. Cyrus III. McCor-
mick, the manufacturer, IN one OF
the directors. The movement Is en-
tirely nCn-partisan and noH-political.
Among the state presidents are Elk
Governor Douglas Of Massachusetts,
John Clafrtn,. the New York merchant,
Ike T. Pryor of Texas. and Ex-Gov-
ernor Hagerman of New Mexico.
The demand and feeling among
businessmen that they should have
something to say about the financial
legislation Of congress, particularly
~ the present session, has resuhed
IN the Leagues organization ThrCuen
- Il Is hoped 30 to arouse interest
and STIMULATES discussion as 70 guar
antee that when new legislation Is
adopted it win be of a kind salts
factory to the business interests OF
the states. The hecessity lof che
that banks should al
gavs be ready and able to meet their
IAN obligations on demand and that
thew should always be able to loan
y their customers, to the extent Of 4
The proper and legitimate credit Of
me latter, are q part of an efficient
banking system as seen from the /
..-,,,..urnanss paint OF view. II Isl I