Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-07-22
Written FOR The Star.

1Ah1 .Yes knox m.: n never o,eini.si.:l II
Written Cor The Star.
There" ssid the promoter, "try one of
these cigars. l think that, without doubt
we've struck the biggest thing of the CEN
tury."
Good, isn't 1t ~ asked he. You wouldn't
suppose that the tobacco that it's made
dow sill, would your
NO wouldn't replied his friend.
well, it was said he. Grown in COM
mon. everyday city earth, from common,
everyday tobacco seed. The secret is that
the earth has been vaccinated with the vital
principle that makes the Vuelta Abajo dis
trict of Cuba the finest tobacco country in
the world. I've got hold of a genius in the
chemistry line who has succeeded in find
ing the bacterium that does it,
Yes" asked the friend coldly.
Yes answered he. sereueiy. Our for
tune is good as made. And now, listen
to my scheme for utilizing the discovery.
think that It's the best financial plan that
I've struck yet 1t came to me in a fash
last night, after | went to bed"
who's going to put up the money!"
That's the beauty of the plan, said the
promoter. You see. this thing is too big to
give away to capitalists. They'd want the
lions share, and I'm through with letting
my good things go to the moneyed men.
Unfortunately I'm tied up just now in
some other things that are taking all my
capital for the present Otherwise, of
course the matter would be simple enough.
I'd just take up a thousand acres of cheap
land somewhere that would cost, say, $780,
600. About $4,000 would see us clear for
impreSnating and planting the land. Now,
down there in the Nuelta Abajo district
raised
an acre. You know me. I'm never opti-
mistic. All l figure on Is $1,000 an acre.
With that, see how we'd come out the first
year The investment would be $4,000
Five per cent for interest and 10 per cent
allowed for unforeseen expenses would
make the total SG9G00-let's say $4,000. TO
be sure. At s1G00 an acre (and. mind you,
that's a small estimate l can show you the
government figures; they'll surprise YOU
the income the first year from our 1000
acres will be one million dollars. How's
that for a proft?''
"Where are you going to get the 500 00o?'
asked the friend, putting an unkind accent
on the you"
Raising the Money.
Not going to waste my time trying, my
boy" said the promoter Here's where
my corking little scheme comes in. You
know, and 1 know, that there's a matter of
twenty-five or thirty thousand back yards
in the suburbs Of this city. I've got the
exact figures here, somewhere. They're
health board statistics. l never miss any
reports like that. There's money in know
ing all these things. That's the way keep
half my schemes going.
Now my plan is simply this: To go TO
every owner or lessee Of mouse with
back yard and offer him a SO share OF
stock in our company free with 10 per cent
interest guaranteed, providing he will plant
his patch of ground according to our direc-
tons. Then Wen send him package of
tobacco seed and the inoculating stuff
mixed together, and when his plants are
up wen simply send around and collect
them
Now. see what we gain by that. In the
first place, we don't need cent for land.
In the second place, the tobacco Will grow
ever so much better in small patches like
that both because the plants will have in
dividual care and because the fences VIII
protect them from cold winds. Thatn give
us high temperature that we could never
get in an open field.
THE inoculatng material breeds as fast
as other microbes. Starting with bottle
full, we can raise enough to vaccinate every
bit of soil in the United States. and it won't
cost US anything. The seed We can get on
credit So you see, we can have our crop
growing without spending a dollar on it.
Calculating Results.
Now, what do we get in return? At
least a million dollars worth of tobacco,
and more likely two millions. Out of that
we have to pay back only $62, 800 for the 10
per cent dividends on the 5000 shares of
stock, 5000 or so for seed, and say $4,000
for collecting and curing tobacco. That's
So 600. Let's say 100000, to make allow
ances for unforeseen expenses. You know
me. I always believe in giving my schemes
the worst aspect in figuring on them, so
that there will be big margin of safety.
That leaves us q cool 100000 at the very
lowest calculation. Now, what do you
think of that?'
The third man in the party unrolled his
cigar. He happened to be a cigar importer
but the promoter didn't know that. He
had scheme to fit every man he met The
cigar importer said:
II see the wrapper is Sumatra. Did you
grow both in one pot?'
oh" said the promoter, "of course We
had to buy the Sumatra. You know we
only tried this for an experiment"
Some of the filler looks like imported
leaf" continued the cigar importer.
Yes, we didn't have enough to go around
so we had to use little Vuelta Arviba,"
said the promoter, cheerfully. But that's
only detail. Do you know something
about cigars?'
I'm an importer" was the reply.
by Jover' exclaimed my friend the pro-
moter. i've got just the thing for your
He opened a safe and brought out a gold
ring, set with a colored stone. See this
tiny hole?" said he. Just shove the point
OF your cigar into It, twist your finger
little, and off goes the cigar tip. Now,
you offer to give one of these away with
every box of cigars and you'll increase
your sales so that it'll paralyze you. Every
smoker will simply be determined to have
one after he sees 1t. And as you'll be the
only man who has them, it simply means
that every one of the 10000 odd smokers
in this city will buy box of cigars from
you"
80 that's a promoter. Well. well! said
the cigar man afterward. I'D never have
taken that little. bald-headed, shabby man
for a promoter. Why. I'm almost sure
that he believed everything he told US. L
always thought that promoters were
breezy, big n en-. dressed to kill and throw
ing wads of money and language around
promiscuously."
Different Kinds of Promoters.
That's the general idea OF promoters. In
reality, there are as many kinds of pro-
moters as there are of any other species of
mammals Some are plain and some are
gorgeous of plumage. Some are painfully
minute and careful, and some are magnifi-
Gently vague and general. Some believe
every word they say, and others really hate
to tell the truth even for a cash premium.
he lot II IND For hai