St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1886-10-14
Gke Galedunian,
FRAUDULENT ADVERTISING.
The Conareaationalist.


of its magnitude, and the cOnsequen
shadow it casts in the pathway of tn
working classes. Most intelligent in
dividuals recognize certain depart
ments of advertising as irresponsible
The glaring hypocrisy of charlatanism
and fortune telling, the falseness anC
immortality of matrimonial enticements
and many other notices of like charac
ter, are mere surface humbugs, and, al
such, are so apparent to every matur,
and discerning eye that they require
no index figure to point them out, al
do the more subtle presentments that
pass for what they seem to be, while
i'm reality they are well contrived sys
TENS of robbery, cajOling hardwOrk-
ing men and women out of their time
money and confidence. OF this latter
class, by far the largest representation
is found in the "want columns" of the
daily paper, which is in no way re-
spOnsible for their untruthfulness, as
sOciated as they are with genuine
needs of help employing people. To
the thoughtful mind these columns
embody much for here I'VE find labor
and capital hand in hand here we are
assured that honest effort and Just re-
ward, or honest effort and cOwardly
imposition have gone out to meet each
other; here we know that unemployed
labor often looks as to a possibility of
bread Offsettlng hunger, shelter offset
ting vagrancy, and honorable toll Off
setting idleness. Hence, in behalf Of
the honest poor, the writer takes up
this subject, illustrating it with IL few
facts obtained from trustworthy SQUIRE
es and 10y personal investigation.
A ''firm" advertises for female to
fill IA position us saleslady, at IL salary
ranging from eight tn ten or ten to
twelve dollars per week. This is a
double fraud; for ''saleslady" is IL
misleading term for agent, and the
stipulated salary is not forthcoming
unless warranted by weekly sales. In
most instances the applicant with
draws, knowing herself unqualified for
the position. That some of these ad
vertisements are designed to be fraud
ulent is clearly proven by the fact that
tie firms frequently change their lOca-
ton, and the phraseOlogy of their no
tice, always, however, conveying the
same erroneous impressions. When
ever girl more credulOus than her
companion applicants is persuaded 10y
the head of the firm to undertake his
service, she seldom retains her posi-
ton longer than two or three days,
because of her inaptitude for the bust
ness, and the orders taken daring that
time, Gf she is fortunate enough to re-
ceive any entitle her to no cOmpensa-
ton. | have known several girls de-
celved IN the foregoing manner, and
this is but one specimen of whole
class of advertisements that differ es-
sentially IN representation and reality.
Advertisements for pupils to learn
some light and profitable business,
with positions thereafter secured to
them, are not uncommon and at least
twO-thrds of them are fraudulent.
The dupe pays his money (the amounts
differ in different cases), and is fOrtu
nate if the firm neither move nor fail
before the expiration of his apprentice
ship. If he acquire somP knowledge
it will be all he will have to show for
his time and money the promised pO-
sitiOn is never forthcoming. An adj
vertisement for girls to direct circulars,
in one instance that came to the
writer's notice, was fraudulent; the
advertiser, who was quack doctor,
getting his work done free of charge
by obtaining numerous specimens of
each applicants pcnmanship.
Another form of this evil, cOnjectur-
ed to be very rcmunerative because
very fashionable, is embodied in the
notices of manufacturing companies
that advertise IL nice, easy work, to be
done at home, which furnishes COM
pensatiOn at the rate of from two to six
dollars per day, and is suitable for
either sex. Application must be made
to pOstOffice address. One dollar
and half purchases all requisite in
formation, and two pictures, worth
perhaps ten cents apiece, one of which
has been transferred to glass and
painted, and serves as u sample of the
work to be done, which is to be hand
sOmely remuncrated. Accompanying
these is n list of articles necessary to
the work, an outfit costing but little |
less than five dollars, and the assur-
ance of steady employment. Aud the |
resultP Return the picture carefully |
and skilfully transferred and painted, |
and the company" never cOndescends |
to address you again.
The stamp tiend is another humbug, |
who appeals to you OH various pre-
texts, gives an alphabetical address,
and requires stamp or stamps for re-
ply. Forward the same in all conf
dence-that you will never hear from
the advertiser.
The advertisements for men and wO-
men with small capital to invest in !
paying business are not infrequent, |
and have reduced many persons who |
had laid by IL few labOriOusly earned |
dollars, to provide for them through |
days of inactivity and weeks of illness, |
to IA penniless condition. The methods |
employed to accomplish this are va
ried. Sometimes Il share in the bust |
ness is offered sometimes Il weekly |
dividend or salary is the inducement
held out ; sometimes eXOrbitant inter- |
est is guaranteed but each method is |
always working toward the same re-
suit. A young man in Danvers, Mass, |
whose address could be procured for
any incredulOus person, lost all his lit |
tie property, amounting to a few hun |
drcd dollars, by investing ii, rs II part |
ner in one of these mysterious con
Germs.
Another class of advertisements,
meaning nothing except loss of time |
and postage To the individual who re-
plies to the same, has no distinguish
; ing marks whatever. For instance,
the advertiser may assume to require |
5 the services of some person to engage |
& in professional work. as II cOpyist, IL /
reader, OF Il book keeper. The sex, |
the qualifications, and sometimes the |
8 age desired are specified, and given |
s initials, to be reached through the post |
office or a newspaper office, constitute !
the address. An application ELECTS no
response, but, after the expiration of a |
. few days, some morning the pOstmam
leaves at Your door a pamphlet which !