Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-10-01
CITY DISCOYERER
And A FINANCIER

One afternoon last week the City Dis
coverer was returning from one of his long
and pleasant rambies through the country
around Washington. when on a shady. lit
tle-traveied road he came upon a we'll
built. prosperous-looking stranger who was
strolling along. his hands clasped behind
MS back, his head bowed on his breast
Good afternoon" said the Dfscoverer in
mis- sociable way. mentally registering the
iact that the stranger was evidently a
man of some consequence.
IL Is pleasant enough afternoon" re-
turned the stranger graveiy, but L have
laa little time to enjoy 1t. The cares of
a BUSY business life follow close at my
heels all the time
100 bad. murmured the Discoyerer sym-
pathetically. Il presume you are a very
Iich man and that the care of your for
tune Expresses YOU"
"On the contrary, rs,,,oa o.,
oaoonas stranger quickly. Il am a poor
mail am at the head Of an enormously
wealthy concern and give my best though,
to making money for others"
But surely you must receive adeouate
compensation for your labors," suggested
the City Discoyerer.
"A paltry 100000 a year and pickinps"
replied the prosperous looking stranger
with a flash of resentment Merely enough
70 maintain bungalow at Newport a
Ma;rs IA the south a game preserve In
MAINE 9th avenue residence a stable OF
.horoughbreds. a kennel of prize-winnIne
st. Bernards and half a dozen automobilas
And yet you mention adeouate comnersa.
tion.'
Gracious exclaimed the Discoverer ne
ne stared at the stranger In Management
You may well be astonished." Continued
o ote IS stranger gioomiiy, for when l think
tray
engineered and the money have made for
others, l grow positively indignant. Only
.ne other day, by way of exercise of that
business acumen which gained me nv pres
ent position, put through deal that re-
hours" ' ui
n,. That was remarkable" admitted the
DisGoverer Tell me about it,
Wen. said the prosperous-lookins strau-
ger modestly, Il formed syndicate of the
directors OF my company and sold some
next day the syndicate bought them back
$780, H ~
The Diseoverer looked somewhat bewil-
dered. L am afraid he said slowly, that
l cont understand. According to your
statement the company lost 100000"
OF course" replied the prosperous-look-
ing person impatientiy but the syndicate
made 1t. Though must say that after hay
ing engineered such a deal my personal
profit was ridicuiously small"
On, said the Discoverer as he contin-
ued to stare at the prosperous looking man
In a fascinated way
And shortly before that" continued the
stranger, engineered another transac-
.ion TOT which take considerable credit
as business man..
What was that?' inquired the Discov-
erer, without enthusiasm
wen, the prosperous looking man con-
valued at sl.OC0.Oo0. for which they received
sloo.OoO year rent. 1 decided that our
main onices were becoming too crowded
anu ina. II would be good idea to open a
so formed a syndicate of the directors of
my company and bought the building from
my company for $500, 600"
And what did you do then ?" manfred tho
Discoverer, his interest again aroused
Then" said the prosperous-looking
stranger impressively. I'VE rented 1t to the
company as a branch office at 100000 a
year. Profit on the building. 100000: ex-
cess profit on the rent s10OOO a year"
Goodness." cried the Discoverer I'm
AFRAID l don't understand. According to
syndicate million-dollar building for $500.
ooo and Is now paying twice as much for
the annual lease as 1t formerly demanded
from others. The company must have
Certainly" assented the prosperous-look
ing stranger, impatiently, 1.-THE company
lost, but the syndicate made"
on murmured the Discoverer, as he
Then, the stranger continued ST CON-
slider that made a very wise and profitable
investment at the time of the last presiden
ttal campaign. 1 believed the defeat of the
republican party meant unsettled business
conditions and tight money, so I called in
the ninth assistant to the chief legal ad
wiser, a bright young man who is retained
at nominal salary of $4,000 a year. and
gave him 5000. 900"
"Of whose money!" inquired the Discoy-
erer.
OF the eompany's money of course" re-
Piled the prosperous-looking person I'm n
surprised tone. "As say gave him 5000
coo and told him to put It where 1t would do
the most good and not to mention the mat
ter to me again. Then contributed $50 600
more"
"Of whose money!" inquired the ~Discov-
erer.
1.-THE company's" fmpatiently replied the
stranger. II contributed the sum of 10000
to each Of the campaign committees to
make them feel good''
did the stockholders consent to these
things" inquired the Discoverer
They didn't know anything about any OF
Them, replied the stranger Besides
stockholders never have any sense"
Sir. said the Discoverer, after a long
and eloquent pause, won't you kindly tell
me who you are?"
II won't mention my name" replied the
prosperous-looking stranger smiling genial
ly, but am president of one of the biggest
life insurance companies in New York"
Who would have thought it," murmured
the City Discoverer, as he wandered home
ward shaking his hand dfsmaIiv