The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-02-14

Afh''iNfAI fNNE Nv 'A'NHNN W ;" WV -
without masculine advice, Before pro
ceeding upon this natural theory, how.
ever, women should be equipped with
a knowledge OF the fact that the pro
motors of fake Investments have come
to regard women as one of their most
profitable specialties, and that the art
of fleeing them has been cultivated
with the greatest care. Experience
has taught INSCRIPTIONS promoters"
that It is easier to secure money from
women than from men through at least
two lines of appeal to which women
are more susceptible than men, The
first OF these is the appeal to wage
earning women as business women
and the tlattering inference that as
such they will recognize the oppor'
tunity for a good investment, quite
ignoring the fact that much Of wage
earning Is done under direction and
does not Of necessity imply knowledge
Of business affairs. The second line
Of appeal which tempts many women
w 81 lltp laht h'hlA Is hlNI tiSh'iN w
feminine vanity by the promoters OF
the scheme who urge. we believe IN
the intuition of women aud would
rather have it In the counscls of our
enterprise than cold masculine logic;
. combination of both is the ideal, and
that is why we are asking you to give
us your aid and cooperation"
The idea of II connection with a big
enterprise is, In very many instances,
Gathering to the oma who has nev
before had such an opportunity, and,
moreover, many women have come to
believe that optimism is in itself a
sort of feminine virtue, while on the
other hand they regard suspicion as a
most unworthy trait, Intuition con.
sists Of faith In n favorable outcome.
Hundreds of women are entrapped
every year through some such subtle
and lattering form of appeal.
Very often these campaigns for the
| savings of women are conducted along
| the lines Of the professions and occu-
pations In which large numbers OF
fairly prosperous women are naturally
engaged. The first thing which the
woman who Is solicited to invest her
| savings in the stock or bonds Of a min
ing, plantation, oil or financial enter
prise should bear in mind is the fact
that In all probability the promoter
who is talking to her has secured a
list of the women belonging to a profess
sionaI organization or a club with which
she is associated, and II the WON
an thus appealed to merely commune
Gated with her natural associates she
could easily discover this for herself
But the whole affair Is purposely sur
rounded by an air Of mystery and "a
special opportunity for YOU which
keeps her silent.
The wireless telegraphy scheme
which was worked in Chicago several
years ago will Illustrate this: When
wireless t%elegraphy was first demon
strated to be practical in Its operation
the ~swindlers saw a fresh and fascinat'
Ing field In its manipulation. 1t had
the charm of science about 1t and ap'
pealed to the progressive mind inter
ested In the onward march OF civil
cation" An Office was located con
yenIent. 10 the rooms Of the board o.
education, which contained a wireless
demonstration apparatus a iui
equipment of wireless literature, ant
--most important OF ala list OF a!
the school teachers OF the city. I'M
women teachers received a broadsldt
of literature In which handsome dlvi
dends were promised from an invest
ment In the greatest scientific discoV
cry Of the age, and also an implication
that the stock was offered first to edu
c~ational people who were best fitted u
understand its value and who woult
have sentimental as well as a materia
satisfaction from such an investment
When an abundant harvest had beef
garnered from the savings OF womei
teachers, a series OF maneuvers wa
i~nstigated which left undistrlbuted II
the possession OF the promoter OF tn
scheme the thousands OF dollars h'
had acquired. The teachers received
a confidential and important an
Doupcement from his office to the 81
icct ire most powerful rival in tn
immediate field Of his company's opeI
ations had consented TO a cOnsolida
49,. - .,r-,, uvIfgh hn raUnF InH a
highly advantageous to all his invest
ors. The consolidated company woul'
be SO much stronger than the n II
which they had made their investmen
that they could not, of course, expec
to exchange the stock on ar evel
basis, share for share. He advise
them, however, to increase their In
vestment so that they could still retail
their original number Of shares whicl
would not fail to prove immensel.
profitable.
This appeal not only induced man,
Of the original investors to put in add
tional money. but 1t also brought
fresh volume OF recruits. A little Will
later a second reorganization was az
n~ounced--this time a consolidation
with all of the principal wireless CON
panies then in the field. 1t was el
planned that this not only did ava
with competition but eliminated III
possibility Of troublesome and exper
siye litigation with regard to patent
and improvements. This was said I
be a great victory, and his Investor
were again urged to surrender thei
old certificates, In a descending ratit
for those Of the new complete" COZ
soIidation. AS they were anxious 70
anything which promised to give ther
dividends on their investment they fe
In line with the suggestion. At tb