September 5. 1908]	THE CHICAGO BANKER	17
( Department of Chicago Banker )
An Open Forum Dedicated to the Associated Chapters A. I. of B. in Which to Advance the Great Movement for Independent Action and Universal Membership
Chicago Chapter Advantages
By Lester B. Brady.
Let me quote some of the advantages offered last vear through Chicago Chapter which are general and will be maintained this year also ; many are added each year as we become more experienced.
1.	Admission to all regular and special meetings, including educational and business meetings, smokers' and ladies’ nights, together with the use of the chapter headquarters, including periodicals, books, etc.
2.	One year’s subscription to The Bulletin.
3.	One year's subscription to The Bank Man.
4.	Fraternal courtesies extended by Institute members in other cities to members while traveling.
5.	Association with and the acquaintance of hundreds of men in your chosen profession.
6.	The privilege of competing in the annual athletic championships of the chapter.
7.	Membership in the debating society.
8.	An invitation to the annual banquet at which speakers of national reputation may be heard.
9.	An opportunity to attend the annual national convention.
10.	An unbounded opportunity to broaden one’s knowledge of the banking business, with its logical result—a better equipment for advance-
System of Rewarding Bank Employees for Useful Suggestions
A leading national bank in Chicago finding that employees had made some excellent suggestions with regard to their own work or the work of some department, are offering prizes for the best suggestions that may be received, as well as for any others adopted by the bank. Small registers, such as are used in stores for making duplicate copies of bills, are installed in various parts of the clerical work room and the employees write their suggestions thereon, the copies being made in triplicate. The first of these copies is retained by the employee, the second is placed in a box intended for its reception, and the third remains in the register for a permanent record. The boxes are opened at intervals and the suggestions are passed upon, awards being made quarterly. The system is thought well of and tends to create interest among the men in their work. The rewards are anything from a day off, a sum of money or, as twice has happened, a promotion to a better position.
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Supreme Court of Alabama Decision
The supreme court of Alabama held, in the case of Hendrix vs, Jefferson County Savings Bank, that the measure of damages for the negligence of a bank in attempting to collect a check and in giving notice of dishonor was the actual loss sustained, which the plaintiff was obliged to allege and prove, and that even under the doctrine of full prima facie liability the bank could not be held liable for the face value of the check when there were assets of the bankrupt bank on which it w-as drawn and a 44 per cent dividend had been declared, and the payee was still the owner of the check.
New Chapter Organized at Jackson
A chapter of the American Institute of Banking has been organized in Jackson. Tenn., by B. H. Blalock and other bankers. On account of some technicality the chapter will not be affiliated with the national organ-ization for a few weeks.
George R. Martin
George R. Martin, formerly of the Live Stock Exchange National, has resigned as treasurer of Chicago Chapter, having accepted a position with the Seattle National. H. S. Smale, of the Commercial National, has been appointed temporary treasurer and will serve until a treasurer is regularly elected by the chapter at one of the early meetings in the fall.
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The Argo Commercial and Savings Bank
The Argo Commercial and Savings Bank, Argo, 111., has filed articles of organization with a capital of $25,000.
Bank Guaranty
Editor Chicago Banker : I notice in your is-sue of August 29th an article on the bank guar-anty from the pen of W. E. Otis, president of the Winfield National. I quite agree with Mr. Otis when he says that under a guaranty law the strong bank will have to furnish security for the weak ones, but is not this very principle true now; in fact is it not a greater tax on the con-servatively managed bank without a guarantee than with it? For this is one law without an ex-ception, and is alike traceable to every busi-ness of mankind.
Banks bear such a strong relation to each other and their business affects the public with such force that a failure of one affects the whole body similarly to a wave in a sea of water.
When that great financial institution of Kansas City was talked to death last fall, Kansas banks received a shock that they will long remember. While we point with pride to how the banks with-stood the calamity, yet we cannot get away from the fact that it cost the banks many thousands of dollars in profits as well as millions of deposits. Thousands of customers ■were brought in before the president’s desk and informed that they must sell their cattle, their hogs, or anything they could, regardless of prices, and the loss to our customers was many times that of the loss to the banks. Their interests should be safeguarded as well as that of the banks.
We contend that under a guaranty law the Na-tional Bank of Commerce would not have failed, and the suffering caused thereby alleviated. \\ e think the cost of this one failure placed in a guar-antr fund would pay a guaranty fund for the banks of Kansas for ten years. Not only would this be true, but the sacrifices made by our cus-tomers would pay for another ten years.
J. C. Hopper, President of the Citizens Na-tional. Ness City, Kas.
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B. J. Blackman was recently elected vice-president of the First National of Coalville, LTtah, to succeed Adam Patterson.
How to Get There
Educational features for bank men of Chicago Chapter, during the coming fall and spring term of 1908-9, are worthy of the special attention of all, and especially of those desirous of increasing or supplementing their knowledge of their chosen profession.
In making its arrangements, your committee has spared no efforts to provide courses in the most practical and essential subjects, by thoroughly competent instructors and speakers, affording to every student, proper detail an*¿ necessary method of study. The above embraces some of the following:
1st. Bi-weekly talks by bank men on subjects of daily concern, including departmental discussion.
2d. Lectures on collateral subjects, showing their relation to banking and economics.
3d. Class studies in finance, commerce, and accounting, including commercial law.
4th. Bi-monthly prize paper contest.
5th. Correspondence chapter courses.
We wish again to call attention to the chapter’s primary object, viz., education, and in so doing, to remind you of the ever increasing demand for men thoroughly equipped and ready to fill positions requiring that executive ability and keenness of judgment which makes for the successful management of our modern ban k.
No young man conscious of his ability to progress and improve his conditions, can afford to let slip such educational opportunities without at least testing their merits, and proving to his own satisfaction that the chapter stands ready at all times to help him at a nominal cost to himself.
Benj. B. Bellows, Editor of The Bank Man.
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A Challenge to the World
They have a very fast motor boat down at Fort Madison and ever since it put it all over the Clinton speedster the Fort Madison poet laureate—J. A. S. Pollard—has been sitting up nights, as did old Homer, writing down the victory. His latest is a challenge which is very comprehensive. Says Pollard:
Bring on your boat from Texas, let’s see St. Louis’ pride,
That "swift” one from Peoria that’s never yet been tried,
And all }¡,our power racers, from Pekin to Orleans,
They all run like the devil—if running only means
A-making time on paper, a-racing in cold print. But now w׳e want to see them make a real water sprint.
We’ve read about your hydros, ■we’re full of theory,
Let’s see your magazine boats just RACE with Minnie C.!
Surely we don’t expect her to beat two hundred horse—
Unless you’ll put up something—that’s different, of course.
Put up pencils anyhow, quit drawing curve and line—
This race is on the RIVER—come in, the water’s fine!