The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1908-04-28
Icopyright, by Joseph B. BowlesJ

against the advice of friends compe
tent to advise them and ia the face
OF their own better judgment?
The obvious answer is: Because
they expect to profit greatly by the in
Vestment-to get rich quick" as the
common saying puts it. This is only
half the answer, and the other half
often the more powerful-is seldom
brought out.
1t can be stated in one small word
Vanity.
This is not fiattering to the invest.
ors who have defied the sober. counsel
OF experienced men of affairs and who
have stifled their own natural fore.
bodings and sense Of caution, but the
TACT remains that vanity has. in hun
dreds Of thousands of cases. been the
one factor which has turned the tables
against reason, judgment and good
counsel and emptied the pockets of
the wage Garner and the salary worker
INTO the Golfers Of the fake investment
shark.
When the bait thrown out is equally
attractive to the cupidity and the van
lty OF human nature the catch ia al
most certain-and the clearness with
which the latter human weakness is
understood by the sharpers who lie
in wait for the surplus savings
OF those who do the worlds hand
work, is evidenced by the fact
that the literature sent out to lure
the unwary is full of phrases like this:
why not become an associate of
men who are doing things? We want
your influence in your community
The men who are in this enterprise
are known in the business world and
tney desire cooperation of others who
are capable of broad and independent
judgment, Of men like yourself who
can see beyond the rim of a silver dol
lar and appreciate large opportunities
men OF constructive abilities who are
ready to take hand in the devotion
ment OF one of the greatest enter
prlses of the present day. Your ad
vice, influence and cooperation are
more valuable to us than your money"
When this appeal is put to a man
who has always worked under others
who has never been consulted bv a
business man, whose opinions on bust
ness matters have never been asked
by any person outside his own family
circle, the temptation to a new and
delightful feeling of self-importance is
almost inevitable There is not
clerk bending over desk or a coun-
ter, a mechanic working at his lathe
or bench, or laborer toiling in street
or held who has not at times felt that
he has had ideas about some feature
OF business worth considering. who
has not harbored a secret longing To
have a place and standing among the
men who pull the wires which move
the machinery of business. When such
man-and his kind is legion-re-
ceives one of these artful and insinu-
atlng appeals to his vanity he is rare
ly poised and gifted with common
sense above his fellows if he does NOT
feel that at last he has come into his
own; that his abilities have finally
been appreciated and that the stran-
ger in the business world has under.
stood him better than his associates.
his neighbors, his familiar friends and
those under whom he works. The fat
terry OF this appeal outweighs its shall
low rawness and it's obvious and cheap
insineerity. But the real cunning of
this attack upon his vanity is the fact
that it appeals to his independent
judgment" and classes him among the
men who see things shrewdly and in
a big way and who scorn timidity. II
he listens to this argument-and gen
orally he does-he feels a new sense
OF self-importance and of independence
and a corresponding Discrimination to
listen to the advice of those whose
familiarity with business and finance
would enable him to steer clear of the
rocks OF disaster. His judgment is
pitted against theirs and he is aroused |
to a determination to show them" |
that his opinion is better than theirs. |
This antagonism against the recep-
ton OF advice from men of experience |
is the one thing which the investment |
sharper most desires to awaken in the
prospective victim, for it will prevent
him not only from seeking sound ad-
vice but from acting upon it when it
is put in his way.
The schemers who have learned
how irresistibly the argument of man
age for yourself appeals to the man
who has never had a chance to try
his hand at managing a business have
not stopped at this point; they have
also learned that men in the humber
walks of life are clannish and inclined
10 think and act together. Along with
his they have realized that it is
easier and cheaper to hunt their game
n fiocks and droves than singly. When
he sportsman wishes to get a big bag
If game and get it quickly he goes
litter the birds which travel in focks.
SO with these gunners who are adepts
n the use of decoys and calls" They
orange their hunts in line with this
dea of clannishness, of mass move
nent, and use the ammunition of "act
or yourself" so that every shot will be
pot shot"
Here is an example of how this kind
I financial craftsmanship is prosecut-
d: Some time ago an inventor
rought out machine for the making