Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-26
little WORD IF"
FANCS|NVESTORS
Ago Big People Protected
Themselves While Common
People StrangIed.
au THOMAS c. SHOTWELL.

BY THOMAS c. SHoTWELL.
II +. the busiest word in the great
2-sr,fsI markets of the world just now
" fine New York stock exchange an IF
IA s-Eet is in progress, and the IF looms
"a oh AS Haman's gallows. The comical
Il g,-e dangling from the cross bar at the
nd of q rope is not Trust magnate, nor
yen one of the criminal rich. 1t is just
afr Mr. smith, one of the common peo-
+ 10 VINO is hung up with a few hundred
ares 8l stock, at prices so high that he
afraid to keep it and afraid to sell it,
f. biz PEOPLE protected themselves long
On against just such troubles as are
n v looming up in the near future. If
otbjns worse develops the small invest
re who are being choked to death by the
Adiricians may escape with their lives.
Ir the supreme court should hand down
4 decision at Washington next week in
Minnesota rate cases, that will fur
ish at least one substantial foothold for
he investor. IF no decision be rendered,
H. straugling process will continue The
nnrame court is on record in numerous
&gses in which it has decided in detail
< Every point that is involved in the Min
feso,a cases. IF the. justices do not
fLange their minds, the decision when
g endrred must be favorable to legitimate
business and that is all that the invest
rs need Nobody has any doubt about
M he court unfolding the interstate com
Il aerce commission, as against the state
sailr1ad commission, but most investors
81 re a biz anxious as to how the supreme
lourt will decide that railroad should
H. valued. The lower courts in this case
"a ermitted valuation on the present cost
IN renewing the property.
Balkan Peace Would Help.
81 If the Balkan war is ended soon there
N,U he an immediate revival of business
IN Europe and an immediate release of
#keyerai hundred millions of capital and at
N east a million and a half of men who
"a ave been withheld from productive oc-
s. upation by the war. Immense loans will
Fl ave to be placed but there is plenty of
#noney for all that IF public confidence
Il Ian he restored by the establishment of
& eace. If Russia does not attempt to
#seize COnStantinOple, peace, when estab-
&shel, will be enduring
& IF the Democrats display conservatism
IN reforming the tariff and IF the con-
*eressmen from the various sections of the
#tolntry persist in protecting their own
81 ONE Industries there will be no tariff re-
81 urm worth mentioning. Louisiana, Cole
Nhado and California can save the tariff
b. sugar only by making trades with
representatives from New England who
&want to save the tariff on wool And
#tyen If the tariff should be reformed
#Some Of the greatest corporations are in
&goods INTO TINS country alongside of for
8figners Under such circumstances the
Sllttle corporations would be hurt and not
#he big ones. IF becomes a gallows again
IN this case for the little corporation lust
2as it does for the little investor. Stocks
~ the little corporations are suffering
#and IN many cases needlessly from public
Hsarm.
Big Concerns Can Move.
IF there are drastic changes made in
n 'he financial mechanism of Wall Street
.at too, viii hurt the little investor and
slhe niue corporation more than the big
Sone. The big man and the big corpora
7 ion can establish offices anywhere
&Ihey came to New York because it was
handy, but in this age of instantaneous
&tomnunleation, when there are big banks
a 2h all the large cities, it is not very i'm
3'Naht where one does business. since
8lnoSt or the big corporations and big men
70 a world wide business. 1t is the en-
#rIQIees who will suffer.
If me public would only stop to con-
HSder that it is almost impossible to hurt
ne leaders of finance without injuring
4 themselves far more seriously they would
n ,erhaPS restrain their fury. The men at
ne yop 90 not escape because they have
a 'oHempl Tor the people, but because it is
n" 'dW OF nature that when a building is
SHdSHed Inc stones on the roof naturally
Il an on top of those lower in the build
N-hs me big men do not have to be es-
n lecidIly clever to save themselves for
Ne weaker ones always tumble first
ne present popular rage against cor
torauons has ceased to be comical 1t
las become tragedy.
II me crops are good this summer all
n algg"IS or the people may be forgotten
mere mas been abundant rain so far in
mos' sections of the country and the out
iY y Sogd: But the pessimists are say
As That II it should happen to be a dry
sumner everything may be undone. IF is
NWNng months in advance IF the re-
p1 stt III STOCK market prices were not so
B9ssirnssse. ana SO disheartening, all this IF
j. Holhlhg funny about it.
III r. Becomes Disease.
vs. uds become a disease. Nine bust
aT pSS men men out of ten when asked to make
any statement whatever follow their as
seruQns with an IF. No man knows for
Cg' IAN whether he may not be arrested
Un, charge of violating some law or be
NV orU .e to some new form of taxation
VI restraint in business that he considers
plarIL livery movement in the stock
ia.HHe, IS under suspicion, although the
mai mai net mas Tor months been perfectly nat
Ohe pitiful feature of the situation is
ers sUt1e OF the most aggressive reform
I've suffered in the stock market.
Styla4e names are mentioned in Wall
tb ~ e. ana II is hard to decide whether
yerg re'l HISplayed by these persons is re-
visi9r u JUST blind rage. wise pro-
vi5aoH on the American government pro-
b'TS mat the secretary of the treasury
liancasH nave no changing business al
wo,,i5S 1t would be well if congress
b "gGiu bar from service on any committee
AMY py"s dealings with the financial world,
yer r r.ohsressman who has suffered Sc
in b,,E,.,as the result of his own mistakes
p" couy ing or selling stocks
Wont, NS are selling for less than they are
ovar III. out the monstrous IF that looms
casts { ne market like Humans gallows
us shadow over everything.
PORT RECEIPTS.