The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-02-22

meath the surface. They are the great
est operators the world has ever seen,
and the beauty of their method is the
quietness and lack of ostentation with
which ttley carry it on. There are no
gallery plays there are no scareheads
in the newspapers, there is no wild
scramble or excitement With them the.
process is gradual. thorough and steady,
with never waver break How
much money this group of men have
made 1t is impossible even to estimate.
That ii is a sum beside which the gain
of the most daring Spectator of the past
was mere bagatelle is putting the case
mildly. And there is an utter absence
of chance that is terrible to contemplate
This combination controls Wall street
almost absolutely. Many of the stron-
sest financial institutions are at their
service in supplying accommodations
when needed: With such power and ia
cilities il IS easily conceivable that these
men must make enormous sums on
either side of the market. So far, fortu-
nately, their manipula tons have all been
one way-upward; and in conjunction
with the general prosperity this has re-
suited in making large sums of money
for nearly everybody in the Street.
Here and there we have heard of
losses. some of them fairly large, but in
COMPARISON with the general money-mak-
ing these are hardly to be taken into con-
sideration.
THE ADVENT OF GOVERNOR r. p.
FLOWER.
The last preceding boom that Wall
street enjoyed was as different from the
present as it is possible to imagine. 1t
centered about one man who stood out
in the lime-light clear and> distinct 1t
kept the Stock Exchange in a constant
state of ferment. 1t filed the newspa-
perS with column upon column of sensa-
tional stories. 1t made millions for an
army of retainers, on paper. and it kept
the market jerking up and down for
months.
Roswell p. Flower Ex-Governor of the
State of New York was the leader of
the boom, and a more picturesque figure
has never been seen in Wall street, which
is saying great deal Mr.. Flower was
an individual of a very plain exterior.
He often used language that was notice
able more for its force, directnesS and
emphasis than it was for polish. He
was rarely seen without a huge quid of
tobacco that almost filled the left side
OF his mouth Spittoons were an essen
tial part of the furnishings of his Office
His clothing hung on his person not I'M
like meaT sacks. His hat was rarely
brushed. and for days at time, appar-
emily, he forgot to shave. Altogether he
was the last person in appearances VINO
would be expected to lead in a district
that is famous for its well-groomed men
His education was certainly not collie
giate. All these factors the ordinary
man would have judged to be handicaps,
yet they were Mr.. Flowers strongest
aids. The lack of artificial polish gave
people confidence in his statements. His
limited education enabled him to think
clearly along certain lines without be-
ing hampered by mental digressions
which would probably have come with
a higher mental culture.
As the administrator and manager of
the estate of his brother-in-law Henry
Keep, he came into the Street about
twenty-five years ago. He controlled a
large amount of funds, which by conser-
vative direction he increased very sub
stantially. He scarcely ever figured in
the speculative field to any great extent
until after he had completed his term
as Governor of New York State When
he returned to the Street from Albany