The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1882-07-27
The FoIIy Of Being sMlndIed.

There is an entire class of confidence
games that appeals not exactly TO our
dishonesty but to our ayarice; to our
desire TO make money faster than by the
ordinary s'slow. coachn ways-to make
money by going little out of our reou-
lar line of business, by agencies of some
kind. instead of farming For example,
about half of the farms In certain
township in Ohio were sold under mort
gage q few years ago, and society and
the church were convulsed and almost
disrupted, as follows: a fine, ministerial
looking gentleman came to town and
leotured on temperance. He was
good talker, and won the hearts of the
good, religious, temperance people in
that rich and moral farming township.
He staid in the region some time, no one
seemed to know, or at least sag, why,
In strictly confidential way he APP
preached one after another of the solid
farmers, making each think he was the
only one to have chance at the bonan-
"a. 1t was this He was indirectly in
terested in patent for the manufacture
OF an improved spring bed or mattress,
Tar superior to any other. County and
State rights were sold for its manufac-
ture 4 Gerry tel0 Western States were
county in Iowa for $50, with the refusal
of the State at the same rate per county,
he could have it, and the chance to 90
out and prospect on the ground. Coun-
ties would sell readily at 5000 to $3.50
each. The thing must be kept strictly
quiet and confidential, OF SO many would
rush in as to swamp the thing. -.
SO farmer A. buys county or two at
500, payment on his return, prOUtded lie
sells. No possible chance for swindle.
All perfectly plain and clear. He had
best not let it be known why he goes
West, or even that he goes at all, if pos
sible. 1.-THE still sow eats the corn,n
you know. So he goes, readily finds
purchaser for his county at $3.50, comes
home with 5000 profit, mortgages his
farm and buys the whole State at $50
per county; one hundred counties at
800 cost $4,000. One hundred counties
TO be sold at $3.50 will bring S25, 900;
profit of the transaction $4,000. So
after a few weeks, his arrangements
are all made and he sets forth TO sell the
rest of his counties amt G7tdS no 6uver!
The man who bought his s'trial county,
at $3.50 was a ''pal'' of the ministerial
temperance lecturer who sold it to him
for $50, and didn't ask kThis pay until he
had sold. And it developed slowly that
nearly half the farmers in this town had
bought counties, States, or parts of
States, or had discounted notes piven
by others in payment of county or State
rights. L" The man" had taken teams,
notes, money, mortgages. anvthino in
payment, and before the final COLLAPSE
and expose had turned all into what
ready cash they would bring, and left
the region.
Here the appeal was made TO the
avarice of these farmers. They left
their regular business of farming,
which they understood, and went into
doubtful outside speculation which
they did not understand, in the hopes of
sudden wealth or competence. They
found the scripture true s'They that
make haste to be rich fall into a snare"
AS rule, it is best to avoid outside
speculation, even agencies of an agri-
cultural character; to have nothing to
do with the wonderful, the astonishing,
high-priced seeds, plants, agricultural
or horticultural discoveries, blight
proof pear trees, curculio proof plum
trees, Russian apple trees that bear all
years or in all climates (and sell at 81
apiece; Bohemian oats that will make
us all rich-and the seed sells at $40
per bushel, under an association which
you are urged to join.
Then there are agencies offered to
you as 'the most influential farmer in
town." and on which you are sure to
make enormous profits. You are to
sign an order for SO many wagon jacks
or patent cultivators-or "Revised New
Testaments," Qor this is one of the
latest and most pious dodges) or "farm
dlaries' or what not "to be paid for
when sold" That ''order" turns up in
three months or so as Judgment note
for $500, which you have to paw. "To
be paid for when sold" means when non
are sold. ."-Chr. Rmrnt Mem Yorke,.