The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-12
Their Addresses Will Be Features of Day-Asso- citation Will Elect Officers This Morning
SOUTH ALABAMA CITY
 WILL PROBABLY GET THE NEXT MEETING
Mrs. Mathis, Blakeslee, Dr.
 Denny, Baughman and
 Wellborn Speak-Discus- sion of AgriculturalTo Topics

United States Senator Oscar W. Under wood and W. P G. Harding of the fed eral reserve board, Washington, D. C.. will be the main speakers at the clos lng session of the Alabama Bankers asso- citation convention at the Hotel Tutwiier this morning. The election of onicers and reports of committees will wind up the three days convention after the ao- dresses by the distinguished speakers
 Yesterday afternoon addresses by Dr. George H. Denny president of the Uni versity of Alabama and by M. B. We'll born, chairman of the board of directors of the regional reserve bank of directors were the big attractions and the hall was filled with delegates throughout the after noon session. The morning session was given over to agricultural addresses by Mrs G. H Mathis, president of the Ala bama Diversified Farming associations H. E. Blakeslee. commissioner of agriculture of Mississippi. w. R. Baughman. recent campaign manager of the Alabama Crop Diversification campaign and others.
 Last night the delegates had an infor- maj banquet at the Country club and .spent an exceedingly enjoyable evening.
 Selection of the next meeting place of the convention will be taken up at the close of the sessions this morning and while no idea is given out as to what city will be successful. 1t is generally understood that the convention next year is to be held in south Ala bama city, for two years 1t having been held in north Alabama. Election of officers this it ,, will in the selection of James Keith of Annis- ton as president and C. K. Thomas of Prattville as vice president.
 Mrs. Mathis Address
 The morning session yesterday was opened with the address of Mrs Mathis of Gadsden, one of the noted women farmers of the state, and head of the state diver sified crop association. If farming sue ceeds,p declared Mrs. Mathis, after out lining the campaign of follow-up work for crop diversihcation, all other forms of business receive the impetus. The city banks have an increased corresponding deposit, without which many of them would be hampered. It is more profit able to the bankers to have money de- posits from the earnings of the people than it is to lend money to the poor and helpless people.
 f"The merchants enabled to do an additional volume of business with less risk and more assurance of early cash returns. Better farm methods means sim ply this: Changing a mans earning ca pacity. The average poor farmers earn from s150 to S300 a year. Now, if he can be changed to earning from $500 to si000 per year, what an immense return that means to all who are in any way con nected with that man. Now, if this sys- tenn can be extended to the majority of poor farmers, especially the renting class what a large sum of money it will place in the avenues of trade. The question is, Can this be wrought out with our peo- pie and with our renting class? It can be worked successfully--I speak from ex- perience along this line. having taken quite a number of renters who were not only not able to carry themselves, but were in debt several hundred dollars, and fin one or two years time have not only enabled them to pay their debts, but have assisted them to make money sufficient to carry them through the next year and start buying a home. What I can do, others can do
 T have taken men who were in debt as much as S760 and have shown them how to manage a crop in such a way to make a crop worth 5000 the first year. When we lift man financially above his former station, he needs us then more than ever, for money is new thing to him, and we must stand close enough to him to convince him that buying home