The Palatka news and advertiser., 1916-04-14
PRESIDENT WILLARD
Of FLORIDA BANKERS
Association Makes Annual
Address at SeabreeZe.

! JHe IellIiiS plSSiueiIp VI SiiN 1 'S- '
State Bankers Association, returned
from Daytona on Sunday where he
had spent the last three days of last
week in attendance upon the annual
meeting of association. Speaking OF
the meeting Mr.. Willard said:
"We had a splendid meeting and
some very instructive addresses were
made by prominent visitors and H.
nanciers. The association met in the
Clarendon Hotel, Seabreeze. The at
tendance was large. J. A. Evans, as
sistant chief, U. S. Department Of
Agriculture, made a fine address.
President W. F. Blackman, late OF
Rollins College, Winter Park, and
President Lincoln Hulley of StetsOn
university were also among the speak
ers, as were F. W. Foote of the First
National Bank, Hattiesburg, Miss, }.
B. Pike, an officer of the federal re-
serve bank in Atlanta, and others.
"The people did everything posi-
Bile to make the meeting enjoyable So
cially as we'll as to see that we had
every comfort. 1t was great meet
ing.
F. n. Conrad of Merchants Bank,
Daytona, is the new president of the
association; Forrest Lake, of the Sem
mole County Bank is first vice-presl-
dent; G. B. Lamar of First National
Bank, st. Augustine, is third vice
president. and G. G. Ware of Lees
burg the fourth vice-president.
The following is the address of Mr..
Willard. delivered before the assocIa-
ton:
Presidents Address.
"Gentlemen: | congratulate you
that the Florida Bankers Association
is assembling in its twenty-third an
nual session under circumstances so
favorable and an outlook so bright.
My distinguished predecessor, Mr..
Hemy G. Arid, in his excellent address
at our last annual meeting said that
as Florida continues to increase in re-
sources and in population, the bank
ing fraternity of the state is even
more than keeping pace with the pro
gressive march of events
81 am glad to say to you that the
last year, in spite Of disturbances all
over the world. has seen no retrogrcs.
sion on our part, but rather con-
tinued forward movement. The bank
ing business in Florida has not only
increased, but the confidence which
the public has in our institutions has
become even more pronounced. Inc
higher character for honesty, eff
ciencey and integrity of the officials
and employees of our banks is not Only
a guarantee for fair, prompt and hon
est dealing on our part, but it is quite
apparent the people appreciate 1t
Many of us are old enough to remem-
ber the day when there was doubt and
distrust on the part Of many people
as to the integrity of the banker and
some even went so far as to prefer to
hide their money in out-of-the-way
places rather than intrust it to his
keeping. We rarely hear Of such dis
trust in this day and time and the
man who now expresses such a
thought is regarded as little off in
the upper story.
81 am not speaking in spirit OF
self-praise for ourselves, for it is said
that self-praise is half scandal. | am
merely voicing an accepted truth and
an acknowledged fact, of which we
have the right to feel proud.
And nov, as proof thai we are
Progressing n spite of disturbed con-
ditions abroad, let me submit the fol-
lowing:
cat the close of business Daoembe-
2i, 1914, we had in Florida 80 ma
t.cnal banks with resources Of Ca
100000; 179 state banks, l3 state
banking and trust companies, state
savings banks and Is private banks,
with combined resources of S43 AL
100; while at the close of business De-
,ember 81, 1915, we had 50 national
banks with resources of 69,971 900;
LS1 state banks, 4 state savings banks,
II state banking and trust compa-
lies and private banks, with re-
sources of S44, 100000.
"Our total resources at the close of
business December 81, 1914, were, all
,anks 6,650000, ard at the close
# business December 81, 1915, our '
otal resources were, all banks S112,~ {
10000. '
"The matter of bank deposits in our {
tate shows gratifying increase, !
which proves not only the growing
prosperity of our people, but also
,ives testimony to their confidence Z.
n our banks. We find the figures
O be:
National Bank Deposts-Decembe
i, 1914, S40,340,000; December 81, {
915, SAL 100000
Estate Institutions-December 81, ,
914, S29,160,000; December 81, 1915. !
81 $4,000.
81 take it for granted that during
ur present session we shall have an
IMPRESSION of views on our federal re- ,
erve banking system. | believe we
will come to realize the great value
f the system and that it will ac.
omplish the purpose for which it was
Established Mr.. Joseph A. McCord .
f the federal reserve bank of Allan
a addressed us at our last annual !
ession and among other things he
aid: The federal reserve bank came
nto the field, helping in situation
-here the banks have left and TAX
n uu investment loans, and it was
or this purpose and this alone that
he federal reserve banks were Great
d-that of taking care of the COM
,arcial indu uStrial and apricul+ural |