, 1877-01-20
STOCKS.
THE CORRODING ULCER OF
CALIFORNIA.
HOW THE BULLS AND BEARS WORK

When the tablets of the law were
first handed to the great Hebrew
patriarch, on Mount Sinai, the
world was young and society in a
rather primitive condition. Box
toed shoes had not yet come in
vogue, and pull-back dresses had
not spiralized the exnberant forms
OF Jewish maidens. Therefore, it
was not to be wondered at in that
very imperfect state Of society, with
no we'll organized facilities for alb
sorbing the assets of ones fellow
men, that the Creator contented
himself by saying
THOU SHALT NOT STEAL"
That the foregoing commandment
is good law, cannot be denied. But
that it is equal to meeting the nu-
me1ous complications that have
arisen in this enlightened era, no
one will pretend. When a man
stole, during the patriarchal era,
there were no Indian departments
nor artists in vouchers; there were
no naval construction yards and, of
course, no Hanscom family; Pin
neys were unknown, and even
Tweed, the great ''Boss" of Tam
many was as yet undreamt off. Even
the Ereedmen's Bureau was in the
And the ''Christian Soldier" who
got away with the darkies' small
change, had not yet come into the
world, "mewling and puking into
his nurses arms" Larceny was
confined to live stock, for green
backs were a thing of the future
But 1.-The world moves" as was said
by the venerable Italian chap who
first boxed the compass. They have
ways of taking mems money now-a-
days, by means of contracts where
one man makes the bargain for both !;
and compared with that the old style
OF robbery is
DECIDEDLY VULGAR.
The most enlightened and refined
method of stealing of the present
day, is in operating silver mines. The
most refined method of gambling is
to be a broker or operator in the
stocks or shares of these mines. And
as there is no law against these two
forms Of robbery and gambling.
they have go1e on without restric-
ton till California society has be-
come corroded to the core. In our
boyhood's days the ''ElDorado." :"
Polka" and ''Diana" were open to
all, with bands of exquisite music to
tempt the lucky miner towards the
tickle goddess. But a clerk was
seen and reported as soon as he put
down "fsh," so the danger was
slight. Again
wELL-BRED YOUNG MEN
Did not frequent the abodes of
Prince Monte and King Faro. But
with stocks, the most infatuated vic
Tins are the young men of good
families, whose fathers toiled hard
to amass enough wealth to enable
their sons to live in idleness. So
ciety is directly responsible for these
daily defalcations, like those of Won
Mehr and Spaulding. If Society
would treat stock-gamblers on par
with faro-deaiers land the latter are
frequently the more honorable class
OF the two, these defalcations would
be less frequent. The same white
hands that would be held up in in
nocent horror at the idea OF q visit
from
BILL BRIGGS OR PUT ROBSON,
Would only be too happy to unlock
the door for Jim Keene or Bonynge,
the 729th survivor of the Charge of
the Six Hundred" If you have
daughters don't let them marry
stock broker while there IS an I'M
married poker-sharp in the country.
Society frowns so severely upon the
card gambler that whenever he gets
any money, he will start a hotel or
livery stable, and try to lead de-
cent life for the sake of his wife and
children. Your stock-gambier, on
the other hand, followsa vice which,
condoned by Society, carries just as
many evils in its train as the card
table and d1ce-box. Hence we say,
keep aloof from those who practice
a crime which goes unpunished and
whose perpetrators are patted on
the back by
THE SERvILE SHODDYISM
Of mushroom age. Out of some
sixty millionaires of San Francisco,
about half dozen have got rich by
legitimate business, and the balance
by so-called speculation. The lat
ter term is very comprehensive for
it includes robbery of quartz bat
teries and, occasionally murder of
miners working for men who hold
adverse titles. The tragical death
of Marion Moore, of Owyhee, by
the hand of a notorious cattle-thief,
imported into Idaho expressly to
kill him, was one of the features of
modern speculation. Until
THE PACIFIC BOARD
Of Brokers. was started by a few
soreheads the momhers of tha old