The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-07-16
BANKERS URGED TO
COOPERATE WITH
FARMERS
SOUL MATERIAL HAS ENTERED
THE BANK VAULTS OF
THE NATION.
The Bank Financial Power House
to the Community.
BY Peter Radford.

One OF the greatest opportunities IN
the business life Of the nation lies
in practical cooperation of the coun-
try banks with the farmer in building
agriculture and the adventure is laden
with greater possibilities than any
forward movement now before the
American public.
A few bankers have loaned money
to farmers at low rate OF interest,
and ofttimes without compensation, to
buy blooded livestock, build silos,
fertilize the land, secure better seed,
hold their products for better mar
ket price, etc. The banker in con-
tributing toward improving the grade
Of livestock; the quality of the seed
and the fertility of the soil, plants In
| the agricultural life of the community
q fountain of profit, that, like Tenny-
sons brook, runs on and on forever.
Community Progress Bank Asset.
The time was when money loaned
on such a basis would severely test
the sanity of the banker; such trans
| actions would pain the directors like
a blow In the face. A cashier who
would dare to cast bread upon waters
| that did not return buttered side up
in time for annual dividends would
have to give way to more capable
| man. This does not necessarily mean
that the bankers are getting any better
i or that the milk of human kindnesss is
being imbibed more freely by our finan-
i ciers 1t indicates that the bankers are
getting wiser, becoming more able fin
anciers and the banking industry more
competent. The vision of the builder is
crowding out the spirit of the pawn
broker. A light has been turned on
a new world of investment and no
Insurer ever received as large returns
on the investment as these progress
sive bankers, who made loans to
uplift industry. The bankers have
always been liberal city builders, but
they are now building agriculture.
A Dollar With Soul
It is refreshing in this strenuous
commercial life to find SO many dol
lars with souls. When dollar is ap
n preached to perform task that does
not directly yield the highest rate Of
interest, we usually hear the rustic
OF the eagles wings as 1t scars up
ward when dollar is requested to
return at the option of the borrower
1t usually appeals to the Goddess Of
Liberty for its contractural rights;
when a dollar is asked to expand IL
! volume to suit the requirements o.
industry, it usually talks solemnly OF
its redeemer, but soul material has
entered into the vaults of our banks
and rate, time and volume have .
new basis of reckoning in so far al
the ability OF some of the bankers
permit them to cooperate in promot
ing the business of farming.
God AImIahtys Noblemen.
These bankers are God Almighty's
noblemen. Heaven lent earth the
spirit of these men and the angels
will help them roll in place the
cornerstones OF empires. They arc
not philanthropists; they are wise
bankers. The spirit Of the builder
has given them a new vision, ane
wisdom has visited upon them bust
ness foresight
The cackle of the hen, the low
of kline and the rustic of growing
crops echo in every bank vault in the
nation and the shrewd banker knows
that he can more effectively increase
his deposits by putting blue blood II
the veins Of livestock; quality il
: the yield OF the soil and value ints
agricultural products, than by bust
ness handshakes, overdrafts ant
gaudy calendars.
Taking the community into part
nership with the bank. opening up
ledger account with progress, making
I. thrift and enterprise stockholders ant
the prosperity of the country al
asset to the bank. put behind i
stability far more desirable ethan
letterhead bearing the names of al
the distinguished citizens of the com
munity The bank is the financia
power house of the community ans
blessed is the locality that has al
up.to-date banker.