The mirror., 1921-03-10

did pay that amount to the tlrSt ones IN
the scheme. Even schoolboy ought to
know that an investment netting II per
cent does not need smooth stock sales
man to coax people to buy stock in it if
it is a safe proposition, yet hundreds of
successful men meet the slick-tongued
agent with open arms and willingly hand
over their hard-earned cash to him.
An elderly farmer sought the advice
of business man as to reliability of
manufacturing plant that promised four
per cent quarterly to stockholders, and the
business man pointed out that the stock
could not be worth more than 10 cents on
the dollar, considering all the assets, and
that if it were safe it would not be
necessary to hire agents to run over the
country advertising the plant; yet the far
mer mortgaged his place after gathering
up all his available cash and went around
boasting that he had invested in a concern
that was bringing him SIS day interest.
And it did bring that amount for very
short time, but when the receivers took
charge of the company's affairs the prin-
cipal assets were big empty factory and
some office furniture. Of course, farmers
were not their only patrons, as school
teachers, widows and many others gladly
handed over their hard-earned money to
the statesmen who were devoid of con-
science, but the bulk of all the capital
came from the country.
Now the men who read and who apply
business sense to such fne-sOunding
promises cannot fail to see that putting
money out at usury results in the loss of
it sooner or latter. Of course, there is al
ways a plausible story that vast unde-
veloped coal fields or oil wells are about
to be sprung on the waiting public, and
the promoters of the scheme want the
dear farmers to have their share of the
profits after doing such patriotic work
during the war, but all such schemes have
been exposed hundreds of times, and every
school child should be able to detect
fraud scheme that promises, unreasonable
returns.
There are land frauds, second mortgage
frauds, oil speculations, undeveloped coal
fields, gold mines, and hundred other
easy ways to lose money, but the intelli-
gent man and woman pass them all by,
knowing that there are plenty of safe and
sane investments right at home where one
can control ones own holdings. 1t may
be true that there are men with giant in
tellects that are capable Of developing and
carrying on profitable enterprises such as
the average man and woman could not
handle, but it should always be remem-
bered that such men are not advertising
the fact that they want to be benevolent
and share their earnings with strangers.
1t does happen often that oil is discovered
on what was hitherto worthless land and
that many fortunes are made overnight,
but such investments are not often peddled
over. the country.
- 10 PdtACtlC " SEC llCI TulICQ Illdu-
cially who have worked hard all their
lives and who should be living quietly
and safely on the acres their soil redeemed
from the pioneer stage of farming, but
who are now in the poor house or cared
for by relatives because some scoundrel
persuaded them to part with their earn
ings. The government is running down
hundreds of fraudulent schemes, but hun
dreds of others are sprouting up all over
the land. If all people, farmers in parti-
cular, would report these questionable
schemes instead of fostering and defending
them they would soon be compelled to quit
the business, for the majority of city
dwellers live from hand to mouth and
have little or nothing to invest in legiti-
mate or fraudulent schemes, that is, out
side the intelligent men and women who
keen themselves informed IN y,,,++ars of