Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1864-09-08
Poor Richard Reasons for Buying
United States Securities.

The other day we heard rich neighbor
say he had rather have railroad stocks
than the U. S. stocks, for they paid higher
interest. Just then Poor Richard came
up. aud said that he had Just bought some OF
Uncle Sans tire, ye airs notes, paying
seven and three -tenths per cent. interest.
My rich friend exclaimed. "You! 1 thought
you hal no money to buy with" "Yes, 4"
said Richard" had little laid ND for
you know it is well to have something
laid up against a wet dav. ard have kept
little of my earnings by me-" Now
Poor Richard is known to al. the country
round to be a very prudent and industri-
Gus. and withal, wise man; for Richard
never learned anything he didn't know
how to make Use Of, and his wisdom and
prudence had become a proverb. So,
when he took out his savings and bought
the notes, more than one was surprised.
and 1t was no wonder rich Mr.. Smith asked
why. SO Poor Richard, in very quiet
humble way-for he never assumed
anything--repled, Il suppose, Mr.. Smith.
you know a great deal better than | do
what to do with money, and how to
invest; for | never had much, and all got
| had to work hard for. But ] have
looked ronnd good deal upon my neigh
bors. aud seen what they did with their
money and will tell some things | saw
and what thought OF it. One very rich
man was always dealing in money. and he
male a great deal, but was never satisfied
without high interest. So he lent N ost of
his money to some people who he thought
were very rich. at very high rate; and
he often told how much he got, till one
day the people he lent to went to smash.
He got back about ten cents on dollar
of his money. l know another old gentle
man, who had some bank stock and he
went to the bank and got ten per cent.
dividend. The President and every body
said it was the best stock in the county
paid ten per cent. But what did the old
man do but sell his stock the next day
Why? why? said everybody. Because, it
rays too much digiaend And in six
months the bank went to smash. No,c.
that l know TO be a fact. Well, Mr.
Smith, you say railroad stocks are best,
because they pay high dividends? Can
you tell how long they will pay them?
like railroads. l ped to build one, and
| so in for useful things Bat | tell you
what kRoa0 about them. One-thir of
the railroads don't pay any dividend, AMI
tr:o thirds (anl some of them cracked mp,
too. do not pay as much as Goveinmen,
stocks. Now that brings me to the Gov
eminent securities, and will tell You
why l prefer them. | :ake it you will
q Init. Mr.. Smith. that in the lon. run the
Investment which is best should have these
qualities: First, it should be perfectly
secure: secondly, that the income should
be unJor M and permaneRt--not up one
year and down the next; and thirdly, tina:
it should be marketable. SO when your wet
day comes. and you want money, you can
get it back. And | think these notes or
bonds have got these qualities more than
any other kind of personal property you
can name. Try it.
First, then. have been looking into
that great book you call the Census
Statistics. / used to think it wasn't
worth much; but since began to study it,
| tell yon. | found out good many things
very useful for me to know | found ont,
by looking at the crops, and the factories
and shipping, &c. that Se | don't mean
the Rebel States are making thousand
millions of dollars a year more than we
spend. SO you see that (since The increase
of debt isn't half that We are growing rich
instead Of poorer, as John Bull and the
NiORACio "Ouii nave US lbifl the
debt will be paid, anyhow, no matter how
long the war is. Besides, did you ever
hear of a Government that broke before
the people did? Look into your b.,
histories, Mr. Smith. and you viii fnd
the people break before the Governments.
Well. then, call that stock perfectly
secure.
Secondly. You want the income uni
form and permanent. Well, | want you
to take up a list of banks. railroads.
mines, insurance companies-anythipy
you choose-and tell Inc (honor bright,
now! J how many have paid uniform in
come for ten or twenty years. Not one in
a hundred, MIR. Smith, and you know it
"Now here is the Government will pay
you without varying little. Now like
something that gives me my income every
year.
Thirdly. you want something which
!, marketable any day in tie year. Now.
if YOU vii ask any bank President, he will
n