The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1923-06-27
BRANCH BANKS
PROBLEM PUT
BEFORE THEM
President M. H. Sprague in
Annual Address Asks Ac-
tiOn Upon Their Attitude
SEES PROSPERITY
Conditions in State Good,
President Says; Rain Cuts
First Day Attendance

The question OF branch banking
was put squarely before the North
Dakota State Bankers Ass ociation by
President Manville H. Sprague of
Grafton in his Presidents address
before the thirty ninth anniversary
convention which opened in the Ell
tinge theater here this morning.
More than 200 bankers were present
at the opening.
While expressing no personal
opinion on the question of branch
banking, president Sprague empha-
sized the Importance of the pro-
blem and the desirability of action
upon it.
81 believe that We cannot afford
to pussyfoot or duck the question,
but we must meet it squarely and
determine for ourselves whether or
not we desire to continue under our
present method of banking or wheth-
cr we desire the evolution which
branch banking will bring to this
country" said President Sprague
"Personally, l cannot help but
tenn while beneficial in many of it's
aspects, has been the forerunner of
Branch Banking and there can be
no question in my mind but what
it's friendly, brotherly tendencies Of
1914 and 1915 have with it's tremend-
Gus growth in size and power dur
ing the past nine years, built that
system into an enormously large,
executive and somewhat autocratic
banking power, which makes its
weight felt in every phase of bank
ing today.
Must Act Now
with the power Of Interpolation
Of our banking laws fixed largely in
political appointment, We must of
necessity, if we desire to fight
Branch Banking, attack it through
the means by which it is allowed to
exist, which is political in its char
acter. and while 1 desire at this
time to express no personal opinion
as your presiding officer, yet l hope
that this Convention will discuss
the subject from all of its angles
and go on record voicing their SEN
timents on the subject SO that your
incoming officers may know the pos
ition which you desire to take in
the fight which undoubtedly will be
waged during the coming year"
The past year, President Sprague
said, had been a constructive one
for the state and for the associa-
tion. The membership, he said,
showed a gratifying increase of "a
institutions. He praised very high
ly the services of A. G. Divet, the
associations attorney. He urged
extension of group meetings to pro-
vide that every county will have an
association of bankers.
"This year has witnessed a ses-
sion of the legislature with it's mul-
tiplicity of new legislations, but I
feel that all in all, so far as our as
sociation is concerned, the very ex-
cellent work of our legislative COM
mittee and the unceasing labor of
our association attorney has result
ed in legislation which is not only
beneficial to banking in general,
but which is likewise fair to the pub
lie and which will tend to place all
of the banking and finance in this
state on firm and lasting founda-
tion, which will not be swayed or
rocked by passing winds of political
heat"
Regarding general conditions he
said that 'it was my pleasure to
spend nearly month in a trip COW
ering much Of our state and I have
felt that the spirit of optimism
which prevails in many sections is
thoroughly warranted"
Welcome Given
The session of the convention op-
ened with invocation by Rev. Joseph
Ryerson of Bismarck, which was fol-
lowed by the address of welcome by
Governor Nestos, reported else
where. In responding to the Cover
nor's welcome, M. r. Porter of Min
OF, vice-president, said that the well
come by the chief executive of the
state was evidence that the city of
Bismarck, as usual, is alive to the
SlCudLlOH, ana Cne entertainment
the Bismarck bankers have prepared
for us and the auspicious welcome
by the chief executive are but fore
runners of the good times we will
have"
Mr.. Porter recalled that the asso-
citation met in Bismarck eight years
ago, that there was an abundance of
rain during the convention and the
state had the biggest crop in years
that year.
The North Dakota Independent
Telephone Company presented to the
bankers reports Of the extent Of
rain during last night, which show
ed that it covered the southern half
of. the state. The report was re-
ceived with applause.
The rain apparently had cut down
the attendance, preventing many
bankers from motoring in for IL. A
special Pullman attached to North-
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