The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-05-11
President Conner Delivers His Annual Address. Praises the Federal Re serve System
200 DELEGATES ARE
 ALREADY HERE AND
 EXPECT MORE TODAY
Thomas Reads Report of Agricultural Committee Urging War on Tick and Boil Weevil

A comprehensive report by the agrleul- tural committee, C. F. Thomas. chairman, a ringing annual address by President G. L. Conner and a closing remonstrance of President Conner that the delegates should ''staff of the streets of Birmingham and away from places which he understood existed here, so that they could not only attend to the business of the convention, but to their own business after they went home" were the features of the opening session of the Alabama Bankers associa a- tion twenty-third annual convention at the Hotel Tutwiler yesterday afternoon
 About 200 delegates have registered so far, and by the time the convention opens its second session this morning, which will mark the point at which it will really get under way, considerable number of ad- ditional registrations are anticipated.
 The morning yesterday was spent with the registration of the delegates, the ma Jority of whom arrived on the morning trains, although some had come into the city Sunday afternoon. The first session was called to order by President Conner at o'clock. The opening prayer was spoken by the Rev. Willis G. Clark, rec tor of St Andrews Episcopal church, after which President Conner launched into his annual address.
 We have met in the Magic City" stated the president. the Magic City not only of the south, but probably of the whole country We should be able to hold a good convention here, where are these great hives of industry and business. x,-- water lines of communication with which the people of the state are now dealing, this section will achieve still greater things, as a business and commercial cen ter"
 Reserve System Tested
 The president told of the appointment of the special committees on agriculture and legislation at the last annual meeting at Decatur. We left that convention for our homes,' he said with a great and prosperous country surrounding us and we had hardly had time to think thereafter until we heard the first great crash of the war machines in Europe and we stood face to face with one of the most serious situations the country has ever exper- fenced
 Many of our people have failed to stand together as they should have in the months since then. They have rocked the boat and some of them even jumped out into the water, and I want to state to you my belief that if the federal reserve bank ing system had not been in force, if the United States government had not had control of the great money resources of the country instead of few bankers in New York city, we would have then en- tered upon the most terrible and disas- trous financial panic in history What has been merely a depression would have been an utter financial riot. True, the fed eral reserve system was not in force in full, but the very prospects of it saved us fin the first trying days following the dec- laration of war on the other side of the Atlantic"
 President Conner referred to legislation pertaining to the banking business which had been introduced in the state legisla- ture. and said that the bankers of Ala bama were indebted greatly to w H. Manly of Birmingham for the work he had done in aiding the new laws which were for the good of the banker and op- posing those which were not.
 Ut has been demonstrated time and again. said MT. Conner in referring to things agricultural, that we can get just
 
 as a 16000, ,00o-bale crop and yet the farmer of the south will persist in wasting his time and his energy and his money in try ing to raise the larger crop. The farm civersification movement is one of the best things that has ever started in the bouth. l think that the cotton crisis which resulted on account of the war has proven the best thing that has ever happened to the southern farmer for it has taught him his lesson. He has learned at last 20 that he will not forget it that he must diversity crops and use business methods In farming the same as the merchant does in his calling and that will make the agricultural population independent. 1T the bankers and farmers will stay to- gether and realize that their interest nre mutual and interwoven both will con dnue to prosper
 Urges War on Ticks
 President Conner said it had been dem- onstrated that al fine cows and hogs could be raised in Alabama as anywhere