New Britain herald., 1915-07-07
BANKER RETAINER
 CONFERENCE OPENS
FinanGiers Relate Plans of Work
 to Aid Agriculturalists

Ter cities who play a prominent part in cooperating with farmers in de- veloping agricultural districts related plans of their work at the fourth an- nual banker-farmer conference, which opened here today. The conference which will be in session two days is under the auspices of the agricul- tural commission of the American Bankers Association, of which B. F. Harris, president of the First Na- tional Bank of Champaign. I'll, is chairman. esa~
 The conference was composed of representatives. from the United States departm ent of agriculture. colleges of agriculture, the farm press of the na- tion. and several state agricultural as- sociations Delegations were present from 21 states.
 Not symbol of Wealth.
 The conference was called to order by B. F. Harris, of Champaign, Ill.,, chairman of the commission. In the course of his address MT. Harris re- marked that the American banker in- dividually is not the smybol of wealth he is generally believed to be. tThe American banker assumed the great. est responsibility to the public, rem ders it the largest service for the least remuneration and should have it's con- fidence in like measure,' said MT. Harris.
 The average American banker, like the average business man and citizen is not big man financially. Fifty five per cent of the 14,300 members of the American Bankers association have a banking capital of $25,000 or less, while seventy-five per cent have a capital of $100,000 or less. If all our 2S,000 banks are considered, at least seventy-five per cent have capi- tai of $25,000 or less. The average banker is truly lone of the people" with several of his neighbor farmers and merchants as big or a bigger "magnate" than he is.
 Work for the Public Welfare.
 As of necessity the banker occupies a more or less commanding position in his community, therefore his voice should always be on the side which is not alone for the upbuilding of his community from the money-makfng side. but for progress along all lines of public welfare.
 This is our fourth annual confer ence. of the committees on agriculture and education from the various state bankers association and of the agri- cultural commission.
 State and National Problems.
 We are working to help solve some of our greatest state and national problems, to check some of our great est sources of waste, we are taking i'm terest in the farmer better art, result ing in larger crops and a richer soil We will help to demonstrate that a real farm is the best place in which the farmer can invest and that i'm proved methods and plant will bring larger returns and make assurance doubly sure. We can teach that the real farmer is com bination of grain and live stock farmer, saving his fer tility and getting two prices for his crops by feeding them to live stock.
 Much of the success of all this
 
 dustrial activities of the nation--is dependent upon better marketing and distribution eff1ciencies as we'll as proper and ample credit facilities, with the perfection of which we are in especial sympathy.
 Saves American Farmer.
 'Tht only thing that has saved the American farmer so far has been in- creased in crop prices and land val ues.
 'It required campaign of 8 years in Germany to raise the aver age wheat yield 10 bushels per acre.
 "On higher priced land the ex- pense eats up the average acre yield. The profit-and the only profits in the excess yield above the average, produced by rational methods.
 Low Social Conditions
 Low yields show lack of method or fertility--one or both and mean low social conditions.
 Despite some theorists, the fact remains that big acre yields and bi:; crops carry prosperity in their wake"
 Problem Essentially Economic.
 F. B. Mumford. dean of the college of Agriculture of the University of Missouri, said that the farmers pro- blem was essentially economic
 ''The solution of the economics of agriculture as related to the actual business of farming, will carry with it the solution of many of the other problems of tht rural community" he said. But because European countries produce much larger yield per acre than the United States, 1t does not necessarily follow that the American farmer would find it profitable or possible to produce yields as large or to bring under cultiva- ton land relatively so poor. The fac tors of labor. price of product and many other conditions must be rec ognized. But taking all factors into