Great Falls tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1921-current, 1922-08-16
BANKERS MEET
WITH OPTIMISM
FOR KEYNOTE
Vice President Says State Fac
ing New Era of Pros
perity.

Montana bankers Will aSarinDie at
Missoula Thursday for the annual con
~vention of the state bankers asS"ci-
alton with greater reason Tor optihiishi
and with a better outlook for a sood
year ahead in their respective terrl-
tories than on any year since the DE-
ginning of the postwar depression.
This is the opinion of Great Rails
bankers who, remembering the business
tone of the last two or three sessions,
look ahead 10 the 1922 convention as
one rating somewhat above an expert
ence meeting.
Maintaining the same viewpoint he
has expressed since the first of the
year, Sam Stephenson, vice president
OF the state association, believes that
the present month marks the dividing
line between the period of depression
and the greatest prosperity the state
has ever known. He predicted last
January that August would virtually
see the end of the depression and Tues
day. commenting on the atmosphere IN
which the association will this year
have its setting, he stated that he be-
lieved his forecast had been correct.
oil Has Helped
1T was apparent at the beginning of
the yea that the first seven months Of
1872 would see a continuation of the
depression, but there was ample reason
to believe that August would see a
pronounced change for the better he
stated. 1T could not then be fOreseen
that the oil fields would develop as
rapidly and add their quota to the
states improvement. SO we are rather
better situated at the opening of the
fall than had been expected. But, be-
Qlnnlnp I'm m adIQtatC an ora nt nrnSDnr-
ity the like of which the state has
never before experienced is, | believe,
before us.
THE returns from the states huge
wheat crop, the resumption of the
mines and smelters and the improve
ment of the livestock industry are fac
tors sufficient to justify all the optim-
ism that generally is felt over Mon
tana. The latest Montana industry to
show improvement is livestock. espe-
cially cattle. For two or three years
there virtually has been no local de-
mand for cattle, but there are indica-
tons this fall that this grade of range
stuff will command prices out of pro-
portion to the value of beef.
This is partially due to the immense
hay crop and the excellent condition of
the range, and the desire of the ranch
ers to restock is exerting an important
influence in this direction. AS the
herds are built up the grade of cattle
will be vastly improved as compared
with the old stock, and the same APP
plies to other lines. as well. As | see
into the future-and by that ] mean
the immediate future-the entire state
will emerge from the depression in a
healthier condition than it has ever
! known"
viii Preside at Convention
In the absence of w. A. Clark. presi-
dent of the association. Stephenson
will preside at the Missoula meeting
and will deliver the opening address.
The annual convention of the Montana
Farm Mortgage Bankers association
will convene at Missoula today. Great
Falls men who will attend the two
meetings are Stephenson. r. j. Stall
man, manager of Wels-Dickey COM
pany; j. l.. Humphrey, Montana man
ager of the Capital Trust and Savings
bank. st. Paul; J. b. George. financial
correspondent of the National Life In
surance company; o. A. Carlson, man.
ager of the Commercial National bank,
and probably several others. Stallman
will be accompanied by o. NJ. Corwin
of Minneapolis, vice president of the
Wells Dickey company, and a st. Paul
official of the Capital Trust and Saw
ings bank will also attend.
W. II. Harding. governor of the fed
eral; Senator Gilbert Hitchcock of Ne
braska: s. p. Gilbert. Jr.. assistant see
rotary of the treasury. and DR.. p. G.
Holden Of the international Harvester
company. T.. Q. SHELTON. Montana state
bank examiner, will also deliver an ad-
dress.