Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-26
|ITTTLE WORD IF"
|HANG5|NVESTORS
NM Aq0 Big People Protected
themselves While Common
People Strangled.
ey THOMAS c. sHoTWELL.

,- t .na busiest word in the great
n --....f. markets of the world just now.
.rs New, York stock exchange an IF
-,.,t is i'm progress, and the IF looms
,ef "a, Haman's gallows. The comical
a5,rs dangling from the cross bar at the
.s5 nj a r.re is not Trust magnate, nor
..ar ara .f the criminal rich. 1t is just
lain Mr. smith. one of the common peo-
4 10 who hung up with a few hundred
II .ssras of stock, at prices 50 high that he
4 fyaif t1 keep it and afraid to sell it.
r5s hig paYpe protected themselves long
a,a against Just such troubles as are
i ann r.nn- up in the near future. If
i r,-,fns worse develops the small invest
s who are being ChoSed to death by the
.li.fatan- may escape with their lives.
nj rha supreme court should hand down
decision at Washington next week in
,5s Minnesota rate cases, that will fur
rsb at least one substantial foothold for
.ta investor IF no decision be rendered,
,ss srrauglng process will continue. The
,-rerIe court is on record in numerous
Asses IN which it has decided in detail
Tar, po.rL that is involved in the Min
Tssata cases If the justices do not
change ue.r minds, the decision when
ranfered must be favorable to legitimate
hsuess and that is all that the invest
ms need Nobody has any doubt about
1b4 cour. unfolding the interstate COM
merca commission, as against the state
railroad commission, but most investors
are q bi. anxious as to how the supreme
court will decide that railroad should
he valued. The lower courts in this case
permitted % valuation on the present cost
afreneWing the property.
Balkan Peace Would Help,
IF tine Balkan war is ended soon there
viii be an immediate revival of business
in Europe and an immediate release OF
several hundred millions of capital and al
last million and a half of men who
have been withheld from productive oc-
wuat0n 10y The war. Immense loans will
have TO De placed, but there is plenty of
money tar al that IF public confidence
peace IF Russia does not attempt 70
seize tguStautinOple, peace, when eStab-
lshed will he enduring.
If the democrats display conservatism
In reforming the tariff and IF the con-
sressmen from the various sections of the
country persist in protecting their own
home industries there will be no tariff re-
form worth mentioning. Louisiana, ColCS
RADIO and california can save the tariff
on sugar only by making trades with
representatives. from New England, who
want TO save the tariff on wool And
even III The tariff should be reformed,
some Of the greatest corporations are in
position 10 manufacture abroad and shin
,
eigners. Under such circumstances the
little corporations would be hurt and not
The biz ones IF becomes a gallows again
IN this case for the little corporation Just
as il does for the little investor. Stocks
OF TIE little corporations are suffering
and IN many cases needlessly from public
alarm.
Big Concerns Can Move.
If there are drastic changes made in
me financial mechanism of Wall Street,
'Aatr too viii hurt the little investor and
The little corporation more than the big
Me. The big man and the big corpora
ION can establish offices anywhere
They came 10 New York because if was
handy but in this age of instantaneous
aommQnjcatlon, when there are big banks
A al. tne large cities, ii is not very i'm
poitah. where one does business, since
most or the big corporations and big men
p9yees who will suffer
II me public would only stop to con-
S-0er mar 1t IS almost impossible to hurt
.ae leaders of finance without injuring
,.s,,.Sel'es Iar more seriously they would
lF.AaPS restrain their fury. The men at
.-s Top 90 not escape because they have
| 0'l empt for the people, but because it is
law Of nature that when a building is
lHaH"eV me stones on the roof naturally
Iail on top of those lower in the build
hs, The big men do not have to be es-
.e-'au| clever TO save themselves, for
NE weaker ones always tumble first
'ae present popular rage against cor
o'a-ohS has ceased to be Comical 1t
'aS become q tragedy
,.lI me crops are good this summer all
-9a.s OF he people may be forgotten.
.-r.t mas been abundant rain so far in
1.s' sections Of the country and the out
FUN y good. But the peSsimistS are say
s.7 -.aJ II IL should happen to he dry
INNER everything may be undone. IF is
working months in advance If the re-
ra.f, VI stock market prices were not SO
f,s.FH and 50 disheartening all this IF
BUSINESS would be nonsensical but there
H nothing funny about it.
u- " Becomes a Disease.
mas become a disease Nine bust
g FN men out Of ten when asked to make
--. statement whatever follow their as
SsrHons with an If. No man knows for
w, lr' .dIi whether he may not be arrested
wi ,t .HaFge of violating some law or be
r'.'.Ito 10 some new form of taxation
f.ff1I',Gt IN business that he considers
l'aIl livery movement in the stock
ra,gg.. Is under suspicion, although the
mar maj ""l has for months been perfectly nat
eo.t" Wutul feature of the situation is
erS l'l.'a OF the most aggressive reform
N.t'tH we suffered III the stock market.
<-r,''',le names are mentioned in Wall
,5 aig II Is hard to decide whether
,..r, Jury displayed by these persons is re-
visa, JUST blind rage. \ wise pro-
,'" 'I the American government pro-
x5srS llat the secretary of the treasury
ji aSt,.4 nave no entangling business al
g''gS IL would be well if congress
fsyt.rg.. '5E from service on any committee
a@, ."E 'ealings with the financial world.
,@r.r .'. FRESHMAN who has suffered Sc
IN {S as the result of his own mistakes
ing or selling stocks
worth KS are selling for less than they are
over .'I me monstrOus IF that looms
lng l1e market like Haman's gaiIows
ms shadow over everything.