Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-09-30
INVESTIGATE BEFORE BUYING

High prices and general imitation have had their
usual result in tho birth Of stock-selling schemes almost
without number for which tho support Of the general
public is invited Companies ara formed to do plausible
things, solicitors are engaged. often at commissions
which would eat up all the possible profits in any legt-
innate enterprise, and these solicitors. utterly irrespon-
stble. having no other interests than in selling the
stock and poekettng the commission. set forth the beau
ties and advantages OF the enterprise in glowing terms,
and in utter disregard Of the facts. Sometimes 1t is a
land speculation in a distant part Of the country. Some
times it is a mining enterprise which may or may not
be represented in actual assets by a hole IN the ground.
Sometimes it is a. Joint stock farming enterprise which
rs to develop southern lands at a marvellous profit. Or It
may be>a building, manufacturing or commercial enter
prise nearer home.
Naturally, not all stock selling schemes are sws1nd1es.
Stock is offered sometimes In worthy enterprises in
which the prospects are good for fair returns in actual
profits, and which are Of a nature calculated to de-
velop the Commercial life Of the immunity in a desir-
able way. And not all Of those which are unsound and
fraudulent Some of them are the products Of insult
ficient information and misguided enthusiasm
The man who Is invited to invest in stocks has a
right to use his own Judgment and take his OWL chances.
But the reasonably prudent man does not buy stock,
any more than he would buy anything else, without
thorough Investigation And In making his invest.ga.
lion and reaching hts conclusions he viii take into
account all the. factors which have a. bearing on the
.hs LOO &t M G@H
Ease. He will want to know if, In fact the enterprise
tn which he ts asked to invest Is meritortous in itself:
+ there is q reasonable prospect that such an institution.
4 established and operated as proposed. will prove prof
table to the investor. He will want to know something
Of the men who are behind the concern, their business
capacity. their experience IN similar lines of work, and
whether their business life has been marked by success
pr failure. And they will give some weight to the char
Ecter Of tho men who are employed to sell stock, and
will be interested In knowing whether these men whose
statements can be relied on or are employed merely as
pedd1ers. who have no interest IN tho enterprise other
than selling its stock. and who cannot be held to any
sort Of responsibility.
And. In general, the prudent investor VIM fight shy
ef tho nov enterprise which Offers him a sure thing
with fabulous profits Fabulous profits have occasional
" been made. but those who made them have taken
hong chances Vast fortunes have been made in te1e-
graph and telephone stock. And, on the record Of those
profits, millions OF money have been squandsred In
wireless stocks which proved utterly worthless. There
IRE stocks OF this sort held In Grand Forks today which.
4 worth Par. would build several cities the sdze Of ours
Befors buying stocks know your field. know your
mts1EteA and know your men Than. II you Ike tax
ING q chance. go to II.