The Nezperce herald. (Nezperce, Idaho) 1900-1957, 1914-06-25
TIE EASY MARKS IN OIL AND
LEGISLATION.

Dc AUA4K1 tA cF<&Y S&<f S44% - - ~~--'
are being skinned alive every day
The methods OF the sharks are SC
varied and so constantly changing
that no warning is sufficient, but ever
In the oldest and simplest schemes o
swindling warnings that have beer
repeated for years seem to be obstin
ately disregarded. With all tina
has been said about gold bricks
shell games and other connmoE
methods of swindling, a day nevel
passes that more fools are not fooled,
Every Rube has his sharper lying in
wait for him. Some of the slickesi
swindlers Of all perform their oper-
asions In the name Of philanthropy.
There are a great many kind
hearted, weak-minded people in this
world who can be imposed upon.
They are being deceived, drawn into
some trapper's snare and robbed
every day. Ii is . business that is
going On continually, and IN the
game fake insurance policies, worth
less checks, forged notes, deeds,
marriage licenses and other spurious
or genuine official papers are fire.
quently employed.
Recently at Canadian town oil
was found after long and costly explo-
ration. The discovery seems to be
q legitimate one, and the chances are
more wells viii be brought in, but
whether so or not the commercial
possibilities of the field are so far
wholly conjectual. Forthwith how
ever, this discovery is turned into a
nsans Of preying upon innocent and
needy persons by arousing in them
visions Of easy money, through hav-
ing . share in like dircoveries. Num-
erous companies have been formed
on the strength Of that one oil well
and their stocks are being hawked
about and dangled before the public
in amazing fashion. The Butte Min
err reports returning traveller from
there as follows
Every cigar store and stand with
room to place showcase was turn
ed into an impromptu brokerage
establishment from which oil stock
was sold. ! actually saw stock sell
40 fast the brokers couldn't count
the money as Il came. One man
would be filing out receipts for stock
and the other would be taking in the
bills and throwing them into the
cases. Numbers of showcases were
filled in this way
The usual history Of these COM
panies is that they have no titles or
leases to any lands whatever upon
which TO sink or to explore, or If
they have leases they are practically
fictitious, being taken merely in or
der to be able to make an exhibit, |
or IL the leases are legitimate the |
lands may not be in the oil field at
ali and have no reasonable chance
of producing. In other words, those
Who buy stocks In these so-called
would far better throw
their money into the river or the fire
In the FIRST Instance, since then
they wp1id know where they stand
and are not damoralized by false and
satal expectations.
Those are the sort Of promotions
he so-called blue sky laws we're
aimed at, and In which they would
have served good and necessary
purpose. Unfortunately, the usual
run Of Legislators is the same type
which falls victims 10 oil and gold
brick schemes. They we're not sat
lzaed to protect the public from i'm
pastures and frauds, but must turn
legitimate purpose into an Legitimate
one by Iegislating against useful
promotions and development enter
prises, with the result that their acts
have generally been found uncon-
ssikutionals leaving the public without
any protection at all.
There Is little use in citing other
If the familiar and unfamiliar
Ichenes by which weak people give
way their scansy means ia the be-
ief thai they are turning sharp
rick on others, or through other
aeans Of getting much for little.
49, seq r. mxzAsv~ 100 sman ..~a&x.~mqf~- Z