The Washington herald., 1912-11-02

copper stocks. in gold mines, in manu-
featuring plants, In railroad stocks, and
even occaGonally in bonds. These list
are usually compiled by getting hold oi
lists OF stockholders Of various com.
panies. Under the Massachusetts, law
FOR instance, 1t II very easy matter te
get . list Of the stockholders of the
American Telephone & Telegraph Com.
pany. and this list has been copied ovel
and over again and sold to hundreds OF
different kinds Of enterprise.
LAse year. promoter engaged In
noaung the stock Of q company that in
tended to manufacture . household
motor that would do everything from
running . vacuum cleaner to rocking
the cradle figured out that the best
kind OF q list for him would be q list
OF the stockholders of the leading bak-
Ing powder company In the country and
the leading sewing machine company,
partly because he knew that these ara
stocks that are held largely by women
ana have q natural attraction for
women. and partly because he expected
that people who had been successful
with these companies' stocks would try
to duplicate their success with another
household article. He found no trouble
at all In getting the list Of stockholders
OF both of these companies. He found
also. however. unluclkily for him. that the
lists were used 80 promiscuously and 30
frequently that the people would not
respond very warmly to his investment
Ills company, as . matter Of fact, never
got beyond the promotion stage.
When you get beyond these lists Of
people who already own stocks and
bonds. and the lists Of people classified
according to the amount at which they
are assessed for taxes. you come into a
miscellaneous field where exact divisions
prevail. For instance an agency in
New York has sold at Q stated price
per month an exact record Of all the
estates probated In that region with the
names OF legatees and the amounts they
are to receive. These names are taken
from court records. Similar lists on a
mailer scale are compiled in Boston,
Phiiadelphia, and indeed in almost all
the large cities.
Good prizes prevail In this market for
lists Of the names Of men and women
IN small towns who have become pos
sessed OF money. either by Inheritance.
through the payment Of insurance claims
through the sale of property, or from
any other source. A merchant retiring
from business to live on his income is
apt TO be very good name So il a
widow who had . careful husband
rhese names are collected at great pains
ceaeouS dScncleS tnaI
'crutinize in minute detail the news
papers OF the country. and such a list.
II up to date. and well authenticated,
a market net only with the
'et-rich-Quick promoters. but often also |
With perfectly legitimate dealers of the
class
The citizen who Is bombarded BY mail
lnd wonders how he happens to be the |
ecipient Of 30 many favors. may gen. |
rally trace his popularity to some in
ident which has put his name in print. |
'erhaps hs became a stockholder of |
ome large company, or perhaps he |
fought an automobile and gave Up his |
'ame at the license bureau. He may
ave done ac:y one of Q hundred other
hings 20 pro2Rss sAs 0Es runHk R~
aps ~ ASE ~ 81 sAla1 aEa -
4 thy -Soe y - - anl kkSD the fact |
ecoT!sd In ths newspapers that you left |
n estate worth something or that YOU
arried substantial insurance
In England II Is a tradition of the
a mixing business that a banking house
hould have some sort of an introduc-
ion before It offers its wares for sale.
r the United States quite a contrary
raditfon prevails. and he who has any.
hing for sale may offer II to all and
1ndries without ofense. Both tradi-
ons have their advantages and disad-
antases. 1t Is only a fool, however.
no Is caught by chance offerings of
nworthy securities.