The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1921-01-07
Easy Money

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persuaded that thcfe IS a quick and
sure way to get rich, and we listen
with credulous minds to the smooth
tongued, suaye promoter, who has
something to sell. These promoters
are usually strangers in the commune
ity where they operate, but they come
with pleasing address and are adopts
at enlisting the confidence Of those
with whom they come in contact. They
are, too, in many instances honest and
have good investments to offer, but
not always. Past experiences and cv-
licences Of futile results should open
the eyes of the credulous to the fact
that majority of the roseate meth
Eods of making easy money are pure
ly theoretical, or outright swindles.
The investor in any business scheme,
or other money-making project, who
does not understand all its intricacies
is not wise, for too frequently he is
the dupe, and the promoter gets the
easy money.
The profitless schemes and frauds
that have been foisted upon the cred
ulous of every community are many,
and they are as confidently practiced
today as in the past. Many of us re-
member, with a mental dimness of
vision perhaps, the old race-track get
rich-quick scheme that not many
years ago appealed to the gambling
instincts of our nature. The bubble
didn't last long, and when it burst
there was lamenting of dollars gone
wrong. The cigar slot machine chain
that promised riches to those who en-
tered the plan was plausible theory,
but an impracticable scheme that eat
up the dollars of its investors, as was
also the ratent hemp machine that was
to revolutionize the hemp-growing i'm
dustry.. Oil wells and mining pros
poets have held out roseate induce
ments and swallowed up the dollars
of venturesome investors. Legitit
mate business, yes, but like all such
searching after underground wealth,
speculative and uncertain, and where
one realizes hundreds fail, as good
many Of our people can attest. That
is all right if you can afford to lose
and are good loser. but If you cam
not afford it, the risks better fly iow.sf
An attractive scheme 10 many who
have a little spare money to invest vi
eske chain store system. 1t ia' rs'se El'
an Incorporated company, of course,
and promises quick returns and cheap
commodities to the consumer. Stores
are opened in different communities.
Promoters are sent into towns where
store is contemplated The promot-
ers have plausible theory to present,
of large profits and other advantages.
They first. seek out one or two local
"wise old owls, who knew what peo-
pie have a little money they would
like to invest, and then the fun begins.
A roseate view of the large profits to
be made out of small investments is
set out, and shares Of stock offered to
all who can be persuaded to buy, The
company, engaged in buying and SELL
ing on a large scale, enables it tc buy
Nall commodities or !. vast scale at
n,'e..:. lover prices than the local mer-
chants can buy, to undersell the latter
and thus attract unprecedented sales,
so the propaganda goes.
1t is not avery difficult matter for
the promoters in the circumstance to
secure stock subscribers to the amount
of $4,000 or $4,000, to start the To-
cal store. The promoters and the To-
cal @wise old owls who assist them
get about 25 per cent as their part of
tie graft, leaving out Of $4,000
subscription Of stock only about s11,-
900 that goes into the business. This
| $11 900 is turned over to the corpora
ton company, which stocks up the To-
cal store with $4,000 or $4,000 Of merA
chandise, so arranged and displayed
as to make good showing. The
q npany keeps the store supplied
| from its general large warehouses, To-
Gated probably in another state, un-
lder whose laws it is Incorporated. Of
course The head directors manipulate
all the capital and do all the buying,
while few local stockholders are
paid to run the store. There is APP
parently easy money for somebody in
the scheme, but whomaS Doubtless
the main Officers cf the company,
with their headquarters and alleged
| big distributing warehouses located In
another state, but the local stock-
holders are not liable ID realize heav-
;ly, even IL they do not suffer q
Iishrinkage IN The value of their stock.
People Hho have 4 little money to
invest would do better u place II be-
hind something more tgneible than !
foreign purchasing scheme with al
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