The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-17
LIVELY TIMES
At st. Louis National Conven-
ton State Bankers.
The Kansas Delegation Takes
Active and Effective Part.

At the national convention Of state
bankers held in St Louis Monday,
VIM. Macferran, president of the State
Savings bank of Topeka, was selected
as vice president for the coming year.
Walter Wilson, bank commissioner
OF Kansas, took active part and Earl
Akers, cashier of the Kansas Reserve
State bank, was on the Committee on
Permanent Organization and wrote
the constitution and bylaws.
This is a signal honor to Kansas,
inasmuch as this convention, which
met for the purpose of organizing and
bringing into being The United States
Council of State Banking associations
was one of the most important fl
nancial gatherings of the year. Thir-
ty-two states were represented and
participated with accredited delega-
lions.
While It is true there was more or
less of stormy session at the out
set because the delegates from Mis-
souri,, Illinois, Ohio and Tennessee did
not agree with the proposal TO create
an organization at this time on the
whole all delegates present were de-
termined to do so for the double rea-
son that it was, in their opinion, a
necessity for state banks, trust COM
panies and private banks to have some
nationwide organization to look more
directly after their interests and at
the same time be used as modified
unit for the furthering of all classes
of war work at just this time.
Mr.. Willis Booth of California. was
elected president, Frank H Sisson of
New York. secretary; Geo. Rogers of
Arkansas, second vice president; VIM.
Bolton of New Jersey, treasurer.
In the preliminary organization a
considerable fight was staged with the
Kansas delegation comprising Bank
= Com iSSfnner Walter
/ Macferran. Geo. w. Hanna. VIM.
| Wayman, T. ]. Sweeney, ST., and Earl
Akers supporting George Earl of
Pennsylvania for chairman. Seven
names were proposed for this place
but Mr.. Earl was made the unani-
nous choice of the delegates after
some clever floor work upon the part
| OF the Kansas delega ton.
Following this contest the conven-
ton went into a considerable uproar
In lively scrap as to mode of pro-
cedure in effecting the permanent or
gantzation. Wilson of Kansas sue
/ ceeded in getting a motion adopted
Tor the appointment of a committee
on committees. With this accom-
pushed he and the rest of the Kansas
of Clay Center for a place on this
committee. This place was won
| when Mr.. Hanna Immediately inaug-
urated a fight to place Earl Akers OF
! 1opeha on the committee on perma-
nent organization. Hanna won, and
Akers participated in the writing OF
the constitution, the bylaws and in
| the work of the nominating commit
tee He was working for Kansas rec
ognition also and succeeded in getting
the committee to report the name OF
| VIM Macterran back as first vice pres.
ident for this year.
During the deliberations following
the report of this committee Delegate
Phillips of Illinois, delivered a scath-
ing speech against the organization OF
state bankers into a council just at this
time. Phillips lost his head and at
tackled the patriotism of the partici-
pants which aroused the righteous in
dignation of the majority of those
present Fifteen or twenty men were
on the floor at about the same mo-
ment, but Wilson of Kansas. was the
closest to him and shaking his fist in
his face demanded an In m >diate apol-
ogy for the insult. PHI confessed
his error and abjectly aPoiogized to al
present for his hasty words, but he had
precipitated a row with the IIlinoi:
delegation backing him that could no
be patched up apparently and wher
the chairman of that delegation got Il
his feet and commenced to attack the
delegates for not listening to Phillips
stating at the same time that his del
egation was ready to withdraw an.
other uproar was aboard at once and
the delegation was invited repeatedly
10 leave the hall and it did.