The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-06-13
DAKOTA BANK IS
GIVEN GROOMING
BY SLOPE GROUP
Bankers Subject Director F. w.
Cathro to Interesting Cross
Examination 4.
STILL MUCH IN THE DARK
Official Admits That Many Pol.
icies of Institution Haven't
Been Framed Z

The Bank of North Dakota , was
much in the limelight during the Slope
group convention of the North Dakota
Bankers association. President. Phe-
Ian of the First National hank of Bow
man paid his respects to, this financial
bulwark Of the new Industrial demoL-
racy during the morning session. In
the afternoon Fred w. Cathro, director
general, was called upon to explain the
bank, and following his address, which
was devoted to a general discussion Of
the organization of the institution and
a definition of its policies, SO far as
they have been worked out, Director
.0athEo was for 80 minutes or more
subjected friendly but thorough
cross examination On the part of, Slope
bankers who desired some first-hand
inside information as to the probable
effect which the new state bank would
have upon their business and upon the
community as a whole. T..
.s, THE GOOD OF IT ALL
: Some of the more pertinent ques-
tions were asked by w. H.. Stutsman,
Mandan banker. In particular, he
asked point blank just what good for
the state, its farmers, it's financial and
commercial and industrial enterprises
and the people as a whole, the Bank of
North, Dakota was expected to ac-
complish. This question ELECTED the
answer that the Bank Of North Da-
kota would coordinate credits" None
of the bankers present, in their light
sof their, own experience, We're able to
appreciate, just what this, ''GoQrdina-
tion Of Credits" would be or what it
would accomplish Oh hOWsit would be
brought about, but the reply seemed
to satisfy Mr.. Cathro.
MANY THINGS NOT KNOWN
Director Cathro admitted that there
We're many points upon which he could
give the bankers no definite operation
at this time. The states financial dis
eases, he intimated, were being dag
nosed by certain experts, and whensthe
nature. of the various, maladiesf Was
ascertained remedies would be applied
He could not state just what these rem.
edies would be, but he intimated thas
they would be applied ip homeopathic;
doses and that when 1t became neces-
sary to use a knife upon the banking
business Of North Dakota hypos would
be administered, and the operation
would be made as painless as possible.
NO POLITICS IN BANK
Mr.. Cathro had stated that there
was to be no politics in the Bank Of
North Dakota. Mr.. Stutsman aske:]
why, if this was true the largest bank
in Mandah had received but $2S,OOO Of
the public funds deposited by the state,
while another, much smaller insti-
tuition, he said, had received $4S,O0O.
Mr.. Cathro said this was a matter
with which he had had nothing to do.
and he admitted that he could not
explain the basis upon which this dis
tribution of funds was made. Lgs
HAGANl MADE GOOD IMPRESSION
There were many complimentary ref
erences on the part Of the bankers to
the address made during the morning
session by Commissioner of Agriculture
and Labor John N. Hagan. Mr.. Hagal
showed an active interest in the Mis-
souri, river highway bridge project, and
showed that as a member of the state
highway commission he had personally
conferred with federal highway engi--
neers at Washington and had done 7eY7
erything in his power to ,adyalplc{eed c{ed the
project. The commissioner showed q
very thorough grasp Of his subject.
and gave many of the bankers present
new light on the matter.
CONTINUED on Page Three.)