Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-10-24
PETERSBURG OUT
FOR LAND BANK
Cockade City's Claims for Recog-
nition Strongly Presented
to Federal Board.
RICHMOND FAvoRs RALEIGH
Bankers of This City Return
Support Given in Reserve
Bank Fight.

Reasons why one OF the twelve land
banks authorized under the national
rural credits Legislation should bc To-
Gated In Virginia were given by the
| score yesterday at the hearing con-
Quoted by the Federal Farm Loan
Board in the courtroom of the United
states Circuit Court Of Appeals.
| Prominent men from all sections of
the State appeared before the board
and outlined the financial needs OF the
| Virginia farmer, white and colorcd
The unexpected strength of Petersburg
as claimant for one of the banks
was the surprise of the day.
| Although Richmond is supporting
Raleigh as the location of the bank
/ for this district. the rest of Virginia
Is not. Petersburg and Norfolk are
| waging "a strenuous battle for the
| honor. and from all sections they are
being backed up by influential busi-
ness men and agriculturalists. The
| Cockade City, however. had the best
or the argument yesterday, it's claims
| being we'll presented and strongly sup
| ported by facts and figures.
Three of the five members of the
board. accompanied by it's clerical staff,
arrived here early yesterday. Secre-
tary OF the Treasury William G.. Nc
Adoo and Herbert Quick were unable
to be present. George W. Norris.
farm loan commissioner, presided over
| the meeting. Charles T.. Lobdell and
Captain w. S. a. Smith were the other
members OF the board present. Sitting
with them was f. Won Engelken. di-
rector of the United States Min who
| VIII remain with the party until it
| reaches Jacksonville. w. w. Flanna-
gan. secretary of Joint committee on
rural credits. and Claud de Baun, pri-
vate secretary, accompanied the board
WILL HOLD SIMILAR
| HEARING IN RALEIGH
The hearing opened promptly ut 10
| o'clock. and two sessions were held
! Following the noon recess AT O'Clock
| the members of the visiting party were
the guests of the agricultural commit
tee of the Chamber of Commerce at a
luncheon in the Business Mems Club.
Last night they were the guests Of
John SHELTON Williams. Comptroller Of
the Currency. at dinner at his home.
Paxton" the Cary Street Road.
The party left at midnight for Raleigh,
|
| to-day.
The courtroom was filed when
Chairman Norris called the meeting to
order. After briefly explaining the de-
tails Of the Federal farm loan act, he
announced that he was ready to hear
| anything that would aid the board in
arriving at its decision. The object of
| the hearing, he said, was to ascertain
the 1arm loan needs of the country. in
order that the boundaries OF the twelve
districts, as we'll as the location of the
| land banks for each, could be deter
| mined He extended n general invita-
tion for those present to express the
sentiments and wishes Of the people
| of Virginia.
On behalf of Governor Henry Carter
| Stuart. who is out of the city, Chris
| topher b. Garnett, executive assistant
to the State Tax Board, welcomed the
board to Richmond and Virginia, and
| then boldly launched forth claim for
pne OF the banks for the Old Dominion
| He cited the tremendous agricultural
activity OF Virginia and of it's enor-
| nous undeveloped resources in support
| of his contention.
| Hot on the trail of Mr.. Garnett's at
| tack came the claim OF Petersburg for
recognition. Former Governor Will
| liam Hodges Mann led the Cockade
City delegation, and he took charge of
| the fight waged by that city. Speaker
| after speaker, armed with facts. scored
! points for Petersburg. In spite of the
| Norfolk claim. presented immediately
after the noon recess, Petersburg
never Jagged, and its argument was
| strengthened by the testimony of prac-
tically every person who spoke.
FARM DEMONSTRATION AGENTS
| GIVE VALUABLE IMPORTATION
| Farm demonstration agents proved
| to be the most productive witnesses
| called before the board. Chairman
| Norris was greatly pleased with the
| testimony given by these men, whose
daily travels bring them closely in
touch with those who should be bcnc-
| flied most by the farm-loan act Each
of the members took turns in nucs-
| tioning the agents, and much valuable
| information was secured.
! Alfred Rolfc, who labors in Amelia
| and Nottoway. told the board that the
| farmers in the former county had al
| ready started the organization of Il
| farm loan association. lie outlined the
| plans of those men, which seemed to
| meet the idea of the board exactly
| Mr. Rolfc stated that the farmers of
and that there is no question but that
they will heartily cooperate to take
| advantage Of the farm loans. He was
hacked up in his assertions by several
| other agents and by II. q. Sandy, i'm
charge of the state demonstration
work, and Miss Ella AEncw, in charge
of the demonstration work among the
wives and daughters OF the farmers
Just whnt the attitude of the white
farmers toward their colorcd ncighbors
would be in the event that farm loan
associa tons were formed, was b Qucs-
tion that seemed to worry the board
Industrial and Normal School, Peters
burg, the only colorcd speaker OF the
day, ably answered this question by
stating that Virginia was the best place
In the South for such Il bank. No
where in the South. he said, was there
such n splendid feeling between the