Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-17
BANKERS To GET
NEARER PEOPLE
Movement Is Inaugurated to
Become of Greater Serv-
ice to the Public.
By g. c. FORBES.

NEW YORK, May 1T-America's bank
ers are 10 come closer to the people
Ihey are to take a more practical-Iess
Of kidglove-interest in affairs They
are especially anxious to promote agri-
cultural development and the kind OF ed
1catlon calculated TO produce farmers
rather than clerks. 1t is claimed that
already 20 of every 100 bankers have
taken farms of their own, but this state
ment is scarcely credible. Then city
bankers who heretofore have confined
their labors to their private offices are
henceforth TO get out and inspect the
properties whose securities they handle
Tours over. railways of which they are
directors will also be more frequent in the
future
Prompted by a mistaken sense of dig
nifty, contracted from contagion with their
european prototypes, our financiers and
bankers have held aloof from open dis
cussion of the problems Of the day This,
too, is being changed. Bankers are to
become more practical, more workaday.
At the bankers convention held al
Brarcliff Lodge last week, much impor-
lance was attached TO a movement for
the promotion of agriculture and agricul-
tura education. No fewer than twenty
state bankers associations have taken UP
the subject, while the American Bankers
association, the parent body. with a
membership representing 10000 banks.
has appointed a standing committee to
further the project One member re-
marked 1T is time we bankers mix in
the active affairs of the world We have
stayed on the outside long enough"
That was harsh. but true
No p1,ea fer service could he ,.a,ao..o,4
by the bankers than helping to restore
the popularity of farm life and the eff
cheney of our farmers. Country bankers
know that numbers Of plans could be
fostered by them to assist in placing the
best implements and machinery within
reach Of the ordinary farmer. in provid-
ing farmers and prospective farmers con
venient facilities for learning all about the
value of crop rotation, intensive cultiva-
ton, the generous use of fertilizers, stock
breeding, etc, etc The worthy farmer
should not be hampered by excessive
charges for the loan of funds TO introduce
scientific appliances. Land banks, as
they are called in some countries, may
not be feasible, but local cooperation
could do a great deal.
The modern Moses will be that man
who can make two blades of grass grow
where only one or none grew before.
The key to the low cost of living is to
be discovered on the farm. At present It
is lost
Fifty years ago only Is per cent of our
popula ton lived in cities BY 1900 the
"a ITO had doubled The latest official re-
turns show that in 1910 the urban popu-
lation was, roundly, 35, 900, 600 or 371a per
III cf+
have multiplied since 1850 seven-fo fold.
whereas the total population has only
trebled. OF every hundred Americans at
the middle of last century 81 lived in the
country and had to feed only sixteen
others; today So rural folks have to sup
ply the wants of 3S city people And do
not forget that every one of the hundred
uses up more food than he did genera
ton ago A considerable proportion of
them wants even more than it actually
consumes
If our bankers can reduce the percent
age of city toilers and increase the num-
her of foodstuff producers they will earn
the gratitude of 90 100000 Americans
AS the newspapers containing this col
umn are speeding Westward and South
ward q party of New York bankers and
heads of investment houses will be in
specting one of the country's largest steel
plants These men want to see with
their own eyes what is being done be-
fore they consent to invite clients TO
subscribe for huge issue of bonds short
ly to be offered Such action is not now
rare, and it will be more common in fu-
ture. Certain firms not only send their
statesmen to learn all they can about
properties about to be bonded but
courses of lectures are delivered so that
the men may talk intelIgenty about
their wares, and, OF equal Importance de
rive enthusiasm over their soundness
Some investment concerns stipulate that
they shall have a very strong voice in
the management of enterprises they
finance This arrangement is likely to
attain greater vogue,
J. r Morgan's cast-iron example Of
refusing to discuss any subject fnan-
cial political or economic. has Influenced
lesser luminaries to maintain silence, but
the shortsightedness of such conduct is
gradually being realized Bankers can
not afford to shut themselves up in their
private parlors. It is. as one Of them
apply declared, time they mixed with the
rest of us,