The Washington times., 1912-03-24
IN LOCAL FINANCIAL CIRCLES
BY 1. A. FLEMING. /.


The personal factor counts toward the
success OF any business wherein men
trade with men. Personality counts.
and largely in infIuenting friendships,
In upbuilding trade and in holding Il
as welL
Personality is as important a factor in
the banking business than in any other.
People will do business where they can
best be satisfied, all things considered.
but II one merchant one banker, is a
crouch and the. other genial, there can
be no question as to the one that will
ultimately be the greater success.
II requires mental poise to carry the
bank official through the daily grind Of
the business. keeping ones self free
from evidencing the frazzling effects Of
numerous and unnecessary annoyances.
The bank official in a position of trust,
doing business with the people, must be
on edge at all times to decide promptly
the thousand and one questions put up
to him during the course of one bust
ness day. He must be on guard against
nature, sufficiently mechanical to make
no mistakes In his daily grind. He must
have the sense of duty well performed,
to be able to lay down the burden Of
business as he passes out OF the bank
in the interest of a good nights rest
for the next. day, because days follow
days: one thing after another comes
along, making life and business inter-
esting and eliminating the monopoly.
This is essentially young mans age.
Young men are coming to the front by
reason of their ability and persistence
as never before.
men did not prepare themselves to as
sumo the responsibilities, as do the
youth of today. They were exceptions
many of them. But the youth Of few
opportunities nor the confidence of the
men of today. The banking profession
has been one that has raised many O
crop of grand men-and the most sue
cessful-but also scores that have drop;
ped by the wayside, broken and
aweary. leaving only the survival Of the
fittest
1t would be a difficult matter to fnd
a better and brighter contingent of
Junior officers Of the banks and trust
companies OF Washington. And some
there be who are not in their youth,
although young in years, who are
senior officers.
1t would have been practically inn
possible a quarter OF a century ago to
have secured one-haf Of a corporars 3
guard of young men to attend weekly
lectures on technical subjects, delivered
by, educators. lawyers, and bankers.
Lectures of this character now draw
scores Of young men from the banking
interests to the, chapter room every
week or two. '..,
1t is a good sign of the times-this
changing trend in the strengthening of
character while yet in the making.
Personality counts The CHEEKY smile,
the welcome handshake-an asset in
business.
Rumors should be run down or side
tracked. Yet there are some rumors
that will not down.
Probably no greater evidence Of the
capability of the we'll directed trust
company-one wherein personality is a
feature-to perform 1t duties Is at hand
than the successful liquidation OF a
Minnesota Loan and Trust Company,
of Minneapolis.
II shows a rather new field and new
methods in receiverships and in liquida-
uons.
.Tibbs. Hutchings g. Co. Of ST.
Paul. became financially embaTas
The trust company named was appoint
ed receiver. Assets, appraised value of
goods, s., ,O00, 900; OF accounts due, u,SD, =
500. The Arm employed forty-six travel
ing men and 225 men and women in
store and factory.
/ 1t was decided that a forced sale of
the million-dollar stock would be a use
less sacrifice: that the bills payable
would he much more easily collected
with a going concern.
The force was kept employed, the
publicity department handled the ad-
assisted by a competent and disinter-
ested dry goods man. The auditing
department of the trust company took