The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-06-18
From FRIDAYS Oarf:

:.
gard TO the proper foreign policies for
this government 10 follow we're roast
ed by Congressman +. +. Ellsworth I'm
an address delivered at the banquet
of the Second District Group of the
Minnesota Bankers association. held
last evening in the Centenary Meth
odist church.
Mr.. Ellsworth stated that the
bankers should take leading part In
cultivating' closer relations between
this country and South America. The
bankers should stand back of this
movement. Spanish should be studied
I'm the high schools. That was that
Language Of every one of the republics
of South America with the single ex-
ceptiOn Of Brazil. and there PortIi-
guese was the language that was
spoken. America should have it's bank
ing centers IN South America. There
should be American banking ex-
changes I'm all OF the South American
republics. where America might find
IL profitable TO trade. just as there
were already English. German and
other European banking exchanges
Americans who traded with South
American republics should no longer
be Obliged TO rely on the English ex-
changes. This made II necessary "a
lose a great deal of time. and there
was thus u great loss of trade.
| Mr.. Ellsworth declared that VII
liam j. Bryan had been very hostile
to the establishment Of the American
banking exchanges I'm South America,
| apsnrlfnU In Information that he
congressman had received. and had
declared that If such exchanges were
established. those who established
them did this at their own risk and
need not expect the protection of the
American government. Mr.. Ellsworth
declared the foreign policies of Mr..
Bryan to have been such that Ameri-
| cans were treated with contempt I'm
Mexico and elsewhere.
! The Country School.
] w. ID. willard of Mankato. presi.
dent OF the State Bankers associa
ton. spoke at some length on the de-
STABILITY OF developing the country
school. lie said that In many respects
the country schools were no better
than they were fifty years ago. The
only advance that the country school
had made was in the matter of con
solidation, and there had been very
little of that, although the law that
provided for consolidation had been
on the statute books for quite a mum
Der OF years. There seemed to be a
strange hospitality among country
people TO the idea Of consolidating the
country schools. although i'm about
every instance where IL had been
tried. the consolidation idea had
proven a success. Yet there were in
this state only sixty-five to seventy
consolidated rural schools i'm this
state.
| The country ought to have better
schools. The country people were
| financially able TO improve their
schools greatly. The school taxes
levied in the country were vastly less
than the school taxes levied I'm the
| cities and villages When retired farm
ers came to the city to live the choice
! or the city life was mainly for the
purpose Of giving their children the
advantage Of education in the city
schools There was no reason why the
country schools by consolidation
might not he made inst as good as
the city schools. Mr.. Willard believed
I'm the county being school distric,
with county school board, instead
or having the county split up into a
vast number OF districts BY this
consolidating. schools that could he
just as good as the city schools
might he established here and there
schools could take up subjects that
were especially adopted to the farm
life.
What Could Be Accomplished.
Mr.. willard spoke of the Minneso-
tn State Bankers association as a
body that could and did accomplish
much in the way of getting legislation
enacted that was IN the interest not
merely of the banking people but OF
the people in general He declared
the Minnesota state banking law "a
be one of the best laws of It's kind
ever enacted In the United States
He said this law owed it's origin
largely to the work of the Minnesota
Bankers association.
Mr.. Willard caHed attention To the
fact that the federal reserve board had
agreed to accept the examinations
made by the state banking depart
ment OF Minnesota. The speake,
considered this great compliment
to the state banking department.
Mr.. Ward Recalled the Past.
A. l.. Ward. president of the Mar
tin County National hank of Fairmont
told how he had started I'm the bank
ing business forty lone years ago and
been In the business ever since. He
drew'a striking picture OF many con
trasts in the banking methods OF
today I'm comparison with those that
were in vogue forty-one years ago
He said in those early days the trans
actions over the counter In stores by
means OF checks were unheard OF
In those days people demanded the
coin or the greenbacks. He said those
were days when people looked or
bankers with suspicion. There was
not the friendly, cooperative feel.
ing that now exists.
During the early part OF the even
ing. the retiring president. J. Burr
Ludlow of Rushmore. presented the
report of the committee on nomina
lions. The report was unenimousl,
adopted. thus electing the officers
named above. Each OF the officers
elect made a brief address. accepting
the Office and thanking the group fol
the honor extended. Mr.. Ludlow stated
that the matter of choosing the city
for the next annual meeting OF the
group had been left in the hands o.
~ b.