Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1905-09-15
LIKE BONUSES.
Letter From a Former
Resident Of Little
Falls

Butte, Mont, Sept. 8, 1905
Editor Herald: In the Issue of
Sent. LIST Of your estimable paper, is
an article to the effect that some Dub.
lie spirited citizen Of some other city
had volunteered to erect an opera
house providing the citizens of Lit.
tie Falls would give 4 bonus-the pal.
Try sum OF Sc, 500. So kind of the
man not to ask more.
We have but to look back q few
years and We find in Minnesots, a.
we'll a. other states, men going from
CITY to city, town to town, county to
county, and township to township
promoting wonderful ~ schemes,
which If successively carried out &C:
corning to tho party Of the first part
would work untold good for the citi.
gems of that more than fortunate CON-
munity. All that was required was
little bonus, q very small sam, you
know, but just enough to get the good
people interested In the welfare Of the
enterprise, just little to show good
faith. The promoter would take the
bonus, erect dairy, small factory, or
whatever he was Interested In, with
part of the funds derived from. the
sale of the bonds. Everything was in
his name, he had the goods. The
citizens had the distinguished honor
to refer to "our progress. It was
simply case, you put up the
money, III take the profit. 80" w. -- -.. .
Any scheme that will help an indi.
vidual firstly and the people secondly,
is to be sabhorred and stunned.
If the good citizens of Little Falls
are willing to be played to the tune Of
So, 500, why::not make 1T few thou.
sands.. more and.,::own the..:.opera house
themselvess Possibly, however, they
are playing the Good Samaritan to
all..who ask for....succor....l In. the: shape
of shekels.
Il thought that long.ago the ybonus
man was killed off, and it grieves me
sore''to think that the town I hved::in
many years would be picked cut as
being q good pace for "bogey' man
to work.
If Little Falls is good enough fo:.a
man to go into for the purpose of
making money In Legitimate msn.
ner, it is good . enough without....he
bonus. Whenever a place il. ripe ::and
ready tor a businessE enterprise, you
will invariably lind a man to avail
himself of the opportunity presented.
He knows that his business would pay
because all indications are: favorable.
Go good man, you poor unfortunate
taxpayer and::jump over the Falls be-
fore you allow. yourself to.be hum
plugged, throw back your chest::..and
proclaim to the world in a clarion. or
falsetto voice.. ''I::have::voted ..for my
last bonus, T. have, by gum. -
I have proposition for the people.
It is one that will not do me :.any
good financially 50 far as Little Falls
is concerned, and l freely give 1t. LIT
is mine and I am egotistical enough
to call 1t the Bartonian scheme.
It can be used many ways; but::in
this case We will take an opera ..house
for the ultimsre result, and r. will
but. explain enough of the plan so
that the people may be enabled to
get----their opera house land not be
loser.
First, organize and: incor POI rate
with 30, QUO shares of3stock. at a,,value
of STOPPER share. ::Sell --the .shafee
to..the people, not:petmittinglone per-:
son to purchase NOR. THAN ave: with
,s,ooo you could erect a: good. big
building, with store rooms, =. odoe
rooms, and last but not least, =. :. the
opera house->n ot::oourse, TO be CON:
tanned in one building. .There. would
be a.good income from:rent .e1closive
of the opera house. No:person would
be allowed to soil his share, or}shares,
to anyone other than3the opera house
corporation. This would prevent one
person gaining control of.stook::-and
working to = private end. "A certain
sum from tho rents would be cot aside
for tho purpose Of ::buying back any
shares that holders. miaht:: want..to sell.
I do not think many would care to
sell, but If they did they could do:.so,
getting the original prioe-with 1pro.
portionate shares of earnings. - The
stock repurchased to be merged in the
remainder or else sold to some one
not owning more than his proportion
of shares. New owners would pay face
value plus past earnings Of the share.
This idea is feasible and can be
worked successfully. Every stock.
holder has q voice In the workings of
the corporate body. 1T is better than
bank and offers the ga me opportuni-
ty of withdrawal of funds.
It is not for one, but for all. The
people have taken the crumbs long