The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-01-09
SHARK SEASON OPENS.

>hAhh Sb4ASoN oPt.NS.
What better use could possibly be made Of the
Russell Sage Foundation funds than the insugu'
ration OF a nationwide and relentless campaign
against "ioan sharks
Libraries are inspiring things to look at ana
to visit but perusal of Chaucers entire works
cannot for an instant assuage the hunger Of a
poor who must eat to live. or rice rcrsa.
IL is most generous aud praiseworthy Of Mr..
Rockefeller to so kindly remember the lamp-lit
working folk OF Chicago with munifeent and
magnificent donations to the Windy City Univer-
sity. and OF Mr.. Carnegie TO cause architectural
dreams to spring up like mushrooms overnight
on the town ballyard or dump. but by reason OF
shorts ightedness or lack of appreciation of the
arts and sciences, when the bieed-eHFdling claw
ing of the wolf is heard at the door, the poor
people OF this nation VINO put these philanthropy
c gentlemen where they are do not go wild
when the gifts are announced
There being mo pockets in the shroud and
the adupois of his wealth being such to
founder any ferry that might attempt to trans
port 1t across the River Styx Mr.. Sage willed
and devised that goodly portion of his golden
accumuations be set aside as foundation for
the upbuildng Of the race and correction Of
evils.
One of the greatest evils Of the age is the
loan shark Although not nominated in the
bonds, these heartess and hungry vampires
claim more than ton OF flesh every year. Ro-
nance plays no part in their dealings. and if a
Portia enters, she is the weeping wife with sew
eral little mouths to feed The Spanish Inquis
tion pathetic pufility as compared with
the misery, suffering, humiliation, mental agony
and deaths caused by the loan shark" While
his victims contemplate suicide because OF his
persecution and torment. after beguing them
into his clutches. he dineth rich, waxeth fat and
smleth broadly. Shylocks grins were frovns
/ OF scorn in comparison.
The loan shark, is native to no particular wa
ters. In whatever municipal sea may trave
this insatate and soulless monster is to be fount
following the ship. Practically all crafts bear
/ his victims. II there be those which do not he
/ trails in their wake in the hope that some unfor
tunate will be compelled to walk the inancia
! plank during the journeys course. He usually
appeases his hunger with an appreciate pei
cent of the ships passengers and ofttimes tn,
crew.
/ With its thousands of banks, fraternsl ant
benefit associations, and the latterday insurance
companies. which ENSURE the job it is dificul
to figure the need of the usurious money
lender in this country Yet, he is founc
in almost every community. Not only does
/ he Nx. 1oc,
at reasonable rates" but he often picks up tbs
city directory and malls a rPlease let me fenc
YOU money" entreaty to everyone whose name is
| listed in that arid volume. II his business were
legitimate and on the square he would not be
put to this necessity Circulation of these
/ honeydipped missives emphasizes his rapacout
thirst for human blood. All too soon are his
| lyric notes followed by ira cresendos OF unremit
! ting dunning
! The loan shark encourages the spendthrift
strews the path of men holding positions OF
trust and confidence with temptation makes
thieves and embezzlers, and goads men to self
destruction because they cannot meet his de
mands for the return Of tenfofd of what he
doled out
/ agents Oh tue Gage IOunodtlOn nave lDStf
tuted suit against five loan sharks" who fasten
themselves like leeches on the salaries OF men
employed in New York. Twelve other suits are
TO follow, and it is to be hoped twelve hundred
or twelve thousand more, IL necessary, to weed
this vampire out. With capital of $4,000 900
the 400 loan sharks in the metropolis wiring
900 profit from their victims every year
The unfortunates who fall into the tolls OF the
loan shark" are salaried men. scarcely able to
pay per cent. per annum. much less $50 per
cent, which is often their charge
The Sage Foundation agents are to be COM
mended for this humanitarian step. and although
the fight against the loan shark is always a
hard one. for some reason Eve prefer to think II
inexplicabe), we wish them every success with
their harpoon Let us purge our civilization of
this social leper
GEORGE A. SCHMELZ
}OeGs a % MS Df Ind