The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1864-09-16
Poor Richards Reasons for buying Uni
ted States Securities.

ted 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, and said that he
Just bought some Of Uncle Sans three year,
notes, paying seven and three-tenths pei cent
interest. My rich friend exclaimed, "You
thought you had no money to buy with" ""Yes,'
said Richard, Il had little laid up, for you
know it is well tohsve something laid up against
wet day, aud have kept little Of my earn
ihgs by me-" Now Poor Richard is Known to
all the country round to be a very prudent and
industrious, 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 proverb. 10 when he took out his saw
ings and bought the notes, more than one was
surprised, and it was no wonder rich Mr.. Smith
asked why. So Poor Richard, in very quiet
humble way-for he never assumes anything
replied, Il suppose, Mr.. Smith. you know a
great deal better than do what to do with mo-
ney, and how to invest for never had much,
and all I got had to work hard for. But
have looked round good deal upon my neigh
bors, and seen what they did with their money
and l will tell you some things saw and what
l thought of it. One very rich man was always
dealing in money, and he made great deal but
was neverr satisfied without high interest. So he
lent most 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
know another old gentleman, 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 country
paid ten per cent But what did the old man
do but sell his stock the next day Why2 hy2
said every body. Because it pays too much diui'
dend. And in six months the bank went to
smash. Now, that know to be fact. Well,
Mr. Smith, you say railroad stocks are best, be-
cause they pay high dividends ? Car you tell
how long they will pay them like railroads
l helped to build one, and l go in for useful
things. But tell you what know about Them
One-third of the railroads don't pay any div.
dend, and two thirds (and some of them crack
ed up, too.) do not pay as much as Government
stocks. Now that brings me to the Govern
ment securities, and will tell you why pre-
fer them. take it you will admit, Mr.. Smith,
that in the long run the Investment which 10
best should have these qualities: First, it should
be perfectly secure: secondly, that the income
should be uniform and permanent-not up one
year and down the next and thirty, that it
should be marketable, SO when your wet day
comes, and you want your 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
l began to study it, tell you, found out y
good many things very useful for me to know.
l found out. by looking at the crops, and the
factories and shipping. &c. that we Il don't
mean the Rebel States) are making thousand
millions of dollars year more than we spend.
So you see that (since the increase of the debt
isn't half that) we are growing rich instead of
poorer, as John Bull and the croakers would
have us think. Then the debt will be paid,
anyhow, no matter how long the war is. Be-
sides, did you ever hear of a Government that
broke before the people did 2 Look into your
big histories, Mr.. Smith, and you will find the
p .ople break before the Governments Well
then, 1call that stock perfectly secure.
Secondly. you want you to take up list
of banks, railroads, mines, insurance companies
anything you choose-and tell me (honor
bright. now! how many paid uniform income
for ten or twenty years. Not one i'll hundred
Mr.. Smith, and you know it.
"Now here is the Government will pay you
without verying a title. Now like something
that gives me my income every year.
Thirdly, you want something which 10
marketable any day in the year Now, if you
will ask any bank President he will tell you
that Government stocks are the onlu kind of pro-
perty that is altoays saieabIe, because they will
sell any,cdere in the aDorld. -t
"Now, Mr. Smith, this is why put my little
savings in Government stocks. confess, too,
that wanted to help that dear old country,
which is my home and my country" 81 con-
fess," said Mr., Smith, ii hadn't thought Of all
this. There is a good deal Of sense in what you
say, and ! will 60 SO far as to put two Or three
thousand dollars in United Stocks. 1t can do
NO harm"
We left Mr., Smith going towards the bank,
and Poor Richard returning home, with that
calm and placid air which indicated the Sc
renity of his disposition and the consciousness
o. doing right toward his country and his fellow
man.
FROM SHERMAN'S COMMAND.
Advance OF the Union nArmy-Skirmish-
ing with the Enemy-Their Retreat