The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1897-10-29

Bats, but the Originals Are Sell
-, dom in Evidence-Whnt Can Re
Done to Abolish the EVIL.
Special.
| NEW YORK, Oct. 14.-One would i'm
agine that it was hardly necessary
nova days to warn the public against
| professional maria ge-mOngers. When
| ever the veil that covers the operations
of these gentlemen has been lifted it
has been made clear to the dullest cons
prehension that bunkum is the basis
| of the business and that really serious
swindIes are it's common accessories.
But exposures G2d warnings have not
stopped the supply Of dupes, and these
mischief making agencies are still
| pocketing the savings of servant girls
| and the spare cash of Woodworking
| young n@l who ought to know better.
| The recent prosecutions for missing
word frauds and other bogus compe-
titions show that 10000, or, perhaps, 3d.,
| 900, fools are always standing ready to
part with their money. They appear
| to rely upon such theories as that a
man who is not publicly branded as an
| imposter must be honest, that a man
who advertises extensively must be
wealthy, that whatever appears in
| print must be true, that an enthusiast
tic testimonial must be genuine and
unsolicited.
None of these stupid notions will hold
water for moment. 1t is no easy task
| to reveal a rogue's character and ca
reer to the general public. The law of
| libel is so severe that a newspaper is
generally unable to publish q sentence
until it has in it's possession a long
chain of well -corroborated evidence. In
the vast majority of cases the victims
| O a sllillful trickster take no steps to
protect others, thinking that they will
thus avoid adding to the unpleasant
ness of publicity. They say to them
| selves, I'VE have been fooled, but why
should we let the world know what
| fools we are?'
Victims Don't Complain.
When the victimization is the out
come of their matrimonial schemes,
they are more Mortified than ever at the
idea of attracting public comment to
their ambitious aspirations. The dry
goods clerk who wanted to find a lady
with $25, 900 a year and tie dressmaker
who thought that the photograph of
her pretty face had beguiled the fancy
of Wall street broker are naturally
not inclined to amuse their friends with
recital of their disappointing experts
ences. Tie agents of the marriage
market know all this beforehand, and
thus it happens that q course of de-
ceit and blatant humbug may be car
ried on for months and years without
the interference of press or police.
To place confidence in the simple dis
play of wealth is equally senseless,
| Matrimonial agencies, like bogus loan
offices, have often proved gold mines to
| their INSCRIPTIONS promoters. The fees
| of the foolish soon suffice for splendid
offices. the costly upholstery of which
causes the caller to believe that he is
dealing with people In the front rank
| of the business world. A staff of frock-
coated clerks are there to show the ten
derest sympathy for the husband seek-
| lll3 Sllcp SlIl VI SONeILtSS. lLllelOHS
happiness is on sale for a small fee.
Who can wonder if they are dazzled by
| the inviting prospect and part with
| their hard-won earnings in response to
| the heney-tened suggestions of the cum
ming rascalS?
| Cheap Game to Rum
At this game big show can be made
| Vrith Nf h.
advertisements are evolved in the mar
riage agents Office, from the marriage
agents fertile brain. When genuine
J advertisement does come in, it is proba-
| bly, from some forlorn maiden who has
| cen waiting for years for a mate. The
result-if there is any result-of her
| subscriptions to the agency will be an
introduction Ia some worthless adven-
luror, vino will borrow whatever money
5ha may be possessed of and then fly
awAy after a fresh quarry.
NJ these offices a part of the stock-in-
trade is a collection of highly orna-
mental photograp hs-handsome fellows
With curly black hair and dropping
nustaches, doll-faced beauties with
hose charms of face and form which
he photographer has touched up with
UGH consummate skill. If the custo-
ner thinks that a choice is offered
from these specimens it will prove a
delusion, for the best of them are not
on the books of the firm at all. The
others are probably dissolute persons,
with whom marriage would be a dire
| full catastrophe.
Diamond Cut Diamond.
Perhaps the most amusing element
in such negotiations is the frequent in
| PRODUCTION Of one adventurer to an
other. Each Is overjoyed at the oppor-
tunity of acquiring the fortune attrib-
uted to the other. If they wed they
cannot be long in discovering how alb
7urdly they have worked at cross pur-
poses. Mutual hatred follows, and mis-
cradle reproaches-and appropriate
punishment for their mercenary enter
prises.
How are these agencies ultimately to
he disestablished? 1t can only be done
by multiplying the genuine opportuni-
ties for the young of both sexes to meet
one another at sooiable functions. 1t
ought not TO be difficult to get some
philosophical people TO organize and
superintend something similar to the
institution which the SaIvationists
have planned. A committee of sensi-