Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1914-02-13
SHOWN
As HUB Of
EMPIRE

With one speaker after anoth-
err detailing the surprising ad-
vantages Of Atlanta as the site
for one of the nation s new re-
gional banks, this city got in the
first blow, and that telling one,
Friday afternoon in the contest
for the bank in the southeastern
district, before the regional bank
commission, made up of Secreta-
ries McAdoo and Houston and
Comptroller of the Currency
John Shelton Williams.
Atlanta had expected to present
her claims after all the other cities
had finished, but when the hearing
began Friday at shortly after 2 o'clock
Secretary McAdoo announced that it
had been the original intention 20
heas from Atlanta first, and that this
, program would be adhered to.
To facilitate the hearing, Secretary
| McAdoo at 4:30 o'clock announced
that with the close Of the address Of
Joseph A. McCord. Atlanta would
! rest the presentation of her claims
The addresses of the other eight
| speakers We're filed with the commits
sion in the form of briefs Chairman
orr asked that some outsiders be al
lowed to speak in behalf of Atlanta
so that ii would not appear that At
lantans were the only ones who APP
proved of regional bank here Giles
Wilson vice president of tho Florida
National Bank. of Jacksonville. was
introduced. With his address, Attain
| ta's argument ended
Chattanooga began the presentation
| Of its claims in the short time thai
| was left before the adjournment of
the hearing Friday. Newell Sanders.
| former United States Senator, was
the first speaker.
AS big an audience as comfortably
could be packed into Judge Newman's
| NOei hAOOuA III tHo IT tutIdl
greeted the citys distinguished guests
Wnen they appeared. Secretary Me-
Adoo and other members of the com
mission conversed genially several
minutes with representatives of the
several cities and met probably a.
score Of leading Georgians who were
presented and then announced the
opening of the hearing.
| Dozen Speakers for Atlanta.
An even dozen men, leaders In the
Industrial and financial life of the
city. were on hand to speak in be-
half of Atlanta. II they were taken
somewhat unawares by the placing
| of Atlanta first on the list OF cities
to present their claims, their forceful.
! incisive addresses did not indicate II.
Il must ask the speakers to be bries
and to the point" cautioned Secre-
tary McAdoo at the opening of the
hearing. "Confine yourselves, so far
az possible, to plain statement of facts
and figures. 1t is not that we do not
care to hear oratory. but we have
not the time for It, The hearing must
be expedited as much as possible"
| He then outlined what he termed
the serious and economic problem OF
choosing not less than eight and not
more than twelve cities as the sites
for regional banks" He suggested
that. discussion of the makeup Of
! the reserve districts appealed to him
as really more important than city
boosting and strife among the diff
ferent municipalities for the site.
J. X. Orr First Speaker.
| J. X, Orr, chairman of Atlanta's re-
gional bank committee, was the first
to speak. He was followed by Wilmer
l.. Moore, representing the Chamber
OF Commerce. Mr.. Orr outlined the
regional bank district as suggested for
the Southeastern District. 1t COM
prised seven States-Georgia, North
Carolina, South Carolina Alabama
Florida, Mississippi and Tennessee
Maps and charts which Mr.. Orr
submitted to the commission showed
Atlanta in the geographical center Of
I the district and to be also virtually in