Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-10-20
DECLARES IOWA
I IS GARDEN SPOT
L. A. Andrew Returning
From Bankers Conven-
ton, Reviews Trip
FOUND CONDITIONS
IN VERY BAD STATR
Improvement Slow in East
But South Said to- Be
Beyond Description

l.. A. Andrew, president of the Cin-
zens' Savings bank, who in company
with Mrs. Andrew, has just returned
from the fortieth convention OF the
American Bankers association in
Richmond, Va, has made Very care
full study and close observation OF con-
dItions as they are existing today in
the eastern part of the United States.
Finds Conditions Bad.
In speaking Of his trip Mr.. Andrew
said he returned to Iowa more thor.
oughly convinced this trip than ever
before that this is the garden spot Of
the world and the best place of them
all. Here in prosperous Iowa we do
not appreciate the fearful hard times
other sections of the country are hav.
ing" said he. ",The situation in the
east, industrial and financial, has
been very bad and is only slowly i'm.
proving. The south Is completely stag.
mated and Is passing through one OF
the worst crisis in her commercial his.
tory. Her great cotton crop of fifteen
million bales cannot be sold and des
perate measures are being taken ia
give the southern planters some relief
from direct government aid to an in
dependent campaign to buy bale oi
cotton. In front of many of the
stores in Richmond was bale of cot
ton and on 1t the placard reading:
We have bought bale. Have you?
Cotton is practically the sole crop oi
a great area in the south and the fail.
ure to market it is a calamity that we
can hardly appreciate. A great mum.
ber of men are cut of work in all the
industrial coast-centers Including Chi
cago and the east and south and west.
ern coast centers are no better. 1t IL
freely predicted that there will be
greater suffering this winter than foi
many years.
Continuing he said, Richmond
"has great many points OF historical
interest dating from the jamestown
settlement and is the center of civil
war activity. We were reminded that
now we had come from Washington in
less than three hours when it had TAX
en- million men four years in the
sixties. We had the pleasure of visit
ing number. of civil war .battlefields
and very large number of historical
places in and around Richmond"
War Talk Chief Topic.
Mr.. Andrew states the present con
flict raging between principal coun
tries of Europe is the main topic Of
conversation in the east. The wal
seems to have ten times greater effect
there than in the middle west, accord.
ing to the views of the Ottumwa
banker. Everywhere it Is discussed
and different forms of social activity
seem to be at standstill and various
organizations for the sick and relief OF
the poor and aid in the distress abroad
have taken their places. Personal at
flictions are not uncommon either,
says Mr.. Andrew, as a great many
people in that part of the country
have near relatives on the hghting
line.
This convention of the American
Bankers association was attended by
$500 delegates and Mr.. and Mrs. An
drew made the trip from Chicago on q
special train with the bankers from
that city. The Ottumwa man Is vice
president for Iowa in the association.
The gathering was featured by dis
cussion in regard to the new federal
reserve banks. The entertainment
features consisted of automobile
drives, concert by Gluck, Scott and
Zimballi, grand governors ball,
trip down the James river to James
town and Norfolk beside numerous
dinner parties, teas and banQuets.