The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-09-15
WORKING THE UIAGE-WORKERS


copyright, 1907. by Joseph e. Bowles. }
Conspicuous among the enemies con-
stantly preying upon the wage-earner
while he is fighting the battle of or
gained labor, is the investment swim
der. He has all the craft of wolf,
his purpose seeming to be to attack
the workingnlan from the rear while
his attention is absorbed by the forces
facing him. And these promoters OF
the small investment swindling game
have grown So in numbers. in holiness
and in cunning that their attacks must
receive attention before their depreda-
tons amount TO quite as much as the
losses which might come from unfair
wage scales or unjust restrictions upon
labor.
When a workingman engages in a
struggle to advance the cause of or
Eanized labor. he feels that lie is doing
something substantial for himself, for
his family, and for his fellows. And
SO he is; but If he turns over to the
fake investment. sharpers all the con-
gained, how far ahead Is he? How
much more OF comfort can he give him
self or his family as net result OF
the transaction?
fact that Il they sa are being s sae
tsmatieally aWinaled by the snail
i II We me brokers', brokers', and swim;
arouse themselves and protect their
savings. they might about as we'll go
back to the old labor conditions, since
there Is not much practical choice be-
tween giving the fruits of honest toll
to an over-reachng and unjust en-
ployer and handing them over gratis
ding.
In my opinion there is no class OF
people so fit to drink the drcgs OF hui
man contempt as are those. who glut
themselves upon the small savings
stocking And if I could know that
this word of warming would be the
means of deterrinE Yorkingmen who
without first making thorough In
yestigation of the proposition offered
should feel that has rendered SER
vice to the wage-earners that could
ton. If there is one sacred duty rest
ing more heavily than another upon
the shoulders OF the workingman, 1t
rs that of conserving instead of scat
tering the small surplus which belongs
to his family. IT is most serious re-
snonstbility, and any man who is SEN
sible Of it's weight win proceed eau
tlously, Will slit the situation down to
hard and cold business basis, before,
he surrenders those savings to any
one, particularly to an unknown pro-
motor of an investment "sure to bring
large returns within a brief period"
mere are several ways by which one
can tell whether or not an Investment
oiiered him is sufficiently solid to war
rant ms putting his savings Into 1t. In
mon sense you have. and this with a
realization OF the fact that as you
cannot bargain adyantagaously as I'm
lhalylduai with the employer who hires
ltundrcas OF men and Is experienced In
the art Of getting the most for his
money neither can your unframed COM
mon sense be n safe guide, when II
comes to dealing with men whose busi-
ness Is to dissenible.
Go to a man whom You know to be
an honest man conpershnt with money
and corporation matters, and who can
defect an investment fraud at u
slanGe. Common sense~-the shrewd,
nhlurhl ability 70 form accurate Judge
mrn',--is always at a Observation-Disclosures
| unless ono has the hest Information.
7 upop Which TO act, and about the most