Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1909-09-23
Fake Y Investnn ents"
That Rob KanSans

i body comfort braces. fake railroad
and coal mine stocks. zinc mines.
mines in slexlco, Colorado and else
where and many other Investments
Of similar nature too numerous TO
mention. Not one penny Of dividends
has ever been received from said
stock, nor has one cent Of the orr
tnal capital ever come back into the
town by way Of resale Of said stock.
II the strong boxes Of Abilene Yield
ed up their stock certificates Of this
nature, 1t would make the largest
bonfire Abilene has seen in many
years. There are bales ana bales Of
them, most Of them highly engraved
and artistic certificates too. Why
should not the state Of Kansas take
q hand In this matter, and subject
Iall corporations intending to sell stock
to her citizens to the same examina-
ItiOn and methods as are used in the
case Of insurance companies and
banks. Why should the state OF
Kansas sit idly by and permit smooth
tongued statesmen to solicit stock sales
from her citizens. OF course the in
vestors are In a large measure to
blame for this condition Of affairs
themselves. They are not compelled
to invest, but persuaded by the prom
ise Of swollen dividends, and their
cupidity appealed to by the lure Of
a certain amount Of bonus stock in
connection with the purchase Of pre-
ferred stock the investors Of Kansas
have parted with enough money to
build a macadam road from Arm
strong to the Colorado line. They
have parted with enough money,
which If invested in legitimate
schemes would yield thousands Of
Idollafs annual return and thus aid
| III developing the resources Of our
own state.
i This article does not make the
charge that all corporations ase
formed merely for the purDcss %
selling stock without any intention
81 operating the business.
| No reference is herein made or in
a f..E
tended to corporations either domes-
tic or foreign organized on safe and
sound bases; whose objects are Iegi-
itimate and safe. and whose operation
offers fair chance for dividends
and an increase in the value Of stock.
| 1t has been well said that gold mines
are not for sale. 1t may be said with
as much truth that stocks in good
corporations are not peddled over the
state Of Kansas, but are listed or
sold through legitimate channels and
| not by hucksters. The capitalization
| Of the sort OF corporations referred
| to is always up in the millions, and
if they ever became going concerns
,lit would not be within the pale Of
probability for them to earn diyi-
ldends on the over-capitalization.
Their object and aim is q stock SELL
ing scheme simply and wholly Ar
guments are cunningIy devised, and
statements seemingly beyond dispute
are made to induce sales Of stock, and
the agent himself belongs to a re-
sourcefuI and brilliant class Of sales
men. The purchaser has no recourse
whatever who has invested in stocks
Of the class Of corporations referred
to.
Il is time that Kansas took a tum-
} lble to the situation. 1t is time that
: Investors should ask every salesman
: for the sign and seal Of his authority
before investing a penny in the stock
! of any corporation. 1t is time that
every agent should be made to show
his license from the state and his
credentials should be beyond cavil
before anyone should give him hear
( ing.
Think this over.
BUSINESSMAN.