374 
THE RURAt, NEW-'TOWKER 
March 8, 
PUBLISHER’S DESK 
During the Summer of 1912 I shipped 
egg's to James Wilcox, 921 Sixth avenue. 
New York, for which he paid me, all but 
two cases shipped September 3. 1 waited 
a reasonable time, then drew his attention 
to the fact that those two cases were not 
settled for. He said that he had no recoi'd 
of the express receipt, but would look it 
up; that he undoubtedly had received the 
goods, but the man had neglected to enter 
them on the books, and would see that I 
had the pay for them. I waited a little 
longer, then had the express company trace 
them, and they report that on September 
4 (day of their arrival). Mr. •Wilcox's 
store was closed with a card in the window 
saying “Express to be delivered to B. Sol¬ 
omon Son across the street,” which relieves 
the express company of their liability. I 
wrote Mr. Wilcox that it might help him 
to call to mind, but he does not answer 
my letters. e. i. h. 
New York. 
Dir. Wilcox writes us in reply to our 
letter in the shipper’s behalf contending 
that the complainant can make no claim 
as to price for consigned goods, and 
that he will settle wfth him when he is 
“ready.” Mr. Wilcox furnishes the best 
sort of argument why the new commis¬ 
sion bill should become law. 
The Hudson Terminal Market, Hudson 
Terminal Bldg., New York, have owed me 
a little bill of $33.65 for eggs since last 
April. Do you know of any way we could 
collect it? E. G. o. 
New York. 
We were unable to get any adjust¬ 
ment, even from a suggestion to make 
payment by installments. Our attorney 
was equally unsuccessful. Now comes 
a letter from the concern that they are 
discontinuing the business. This is only 
another warning to our subscribers to 
make shipments to those houses having 
an established rating. 
Can an employer sue a farm hand who 
is engaged by the year without any con¬ 
tract when he quits during the year? 
r. s. 
You might sue a man in the civil 
courts for almost any claim, but to re¬ 
cover judgment in a case like this you 
must show breach of contract. Since 
the man was engaged by the year, what 
he probably means is that there was no 
written contract. If there was a verbal 
contract or agreement, and the employer 
can prove it by disinterested witnesses, 
he could make out his case of breach 
when the man quits, but the man may 
set up other contentions. The written 
contract is best because it is easiest to 
prove. But your judgment, if you get 
it, is no good unless you can collect on 
it. The cost of the suit would probably 
be more than the damage recovered 
under any condition. Such contracts 
bind the employer, but seldom hold the 
employe. The best agreement L: the 
employer is from month to month, be¬ 
cause a yearly agreement will not hold 
the man without property if he wants 
to quit, while it does bind the employer. 
Can you give me any information about 
W. C. Cunningham, Denver, Colo., president 
of the Mail-Order School? I wish to go 
into the mail-order business and want to 
send $15 to him to start me. His offer 
was to expire in 10 days. f. f. 
New Jersey. 
We advise you to keep your $15. 
Mail-order business cannot be learned 
through a mail-order school. Mr. Cun¬ 
ningham probably has some blanks, or 
books, or trumpery that he wants to sell 
for $15 and that is about all there is 
to it. This is evidently an old fake 
worked under a new guise. 
The Blue-Sky Law introduced by 
Assemblyman Marks Goldberg was fa¬ 
vorably reported last week by the As¬ 
sembly committee having it in charge. 
It was opposed by brokerage interests 
on the ground that it would prevent 
speculation. It was also claimed that 
the investor ought to take care of him¬ 
self. In other words, they think the 
State ought to create facilities by which 
skilled crooks can get tile savings of 
frugal, inexperienced people without giv¬ 
ing anything of value in return for the 
money and without any restrictions as 
to the privileges to rob. No one objects 
to any man speculating on his own ac¬ 
count. Wlia.t is needed is to remove the 
facilities for swindling under the dis¬ 
guise of legitimate business organiza¬ 
tions. 
Ex-Senator Travis and the committee 
opposed to the commission bill have 
gone the limit in assurance and audac¬ 
ity. They actually appeal to producers 
to help kill the bill. If there is any¬ 
more effective way to insult a producer’s 
intelligence we have not yet seen it. 
They evidently think that the farmer 
has submitted to their methods so long 
he is capable of any other foolishness. 
If the commission committee could see 
the letters that reach Publishers’ Desk 
forwarding the circulars they would 
save their printed matter and their 
postage. 
Every man who ships farm produce 
to New York State markets, whether 
he lives in the State or not, should 
write members of the Legislature at 
Albany in favor of the Roosevelt-Cole 
bill in relation to the sale of farm 
produce on commission. Do not write 
less than three letters, and see that a 
half dozen of your neighbors do the 
same. You will find a list of the mem¬ 
bers of the Legislature on page 357 . 
At least 100, f 00 letters ought to go to 
Albany within the next five days. Do 
not neglect this opportunity and this 
duty. Lick some postage stamps now 
in the interest of a little better share 
of the 35-cent dollar. 
The Financial World is usually proof 
against the allurements of promoters of 
weak paper securities, but its usual cau¬ 
tion seems to have forsaken it in dis¬ 
cussing the last annual statement of the 
American Real Estate Company. Ac¬ 
cording to the annual report the com¬ 
pany has assets aggregating $27,202,824 
largely in real estate holdings in ana 
around New York City, some of it pro¬ 
ducing and some non-income property. 
Against this property there is a mort¬ 
gage indebtedness of $11,570,922. We are 
not told what percentage of assets is 
represented in these mortgages, but from 
the report one would infer that the real 
estate was mortgaged for at least 50 per 
cent, of its appraised value, and on this 
basis they should be able to borrow at 
4 Yz per cent, interest. But in addition to 
the mortgages they have outstanding 
debenture notes at 6% (mere prom¬ 
ises to pay), $13,265,747, and other in¬ 
debtedness bringing the total up to $25,- 
014,018. This leaves a surplus exclusive 
of the $ 100,000 of capital stock, of $ 2 ,- 
088,805. Allowing the full value in the 
properties as per their own estimate, 
the surplus after deducting mortgages 
and debentures and other indebted¬ 
ness as given, leaves an equity of 
about eight per cent, all told in the 
property as a safeguard for $13,265,747, 
of notes without any other security 
whatever behind them. It is safe to say 
that there is not a man living to-day 
who can safely say that he can ap¬ 
praise property of the kind in New 
York City within eight per cent, of its 
value or selling price. To farmers who 
are urged to invest in these notes we 
would suggest this comparison. Sup¬ 
pose your neighbor had a farm and per¬ 
sonal property valued at $27,202. It has 
a mortgage of $11,570. The farmer has 
notes out amounting to $13,265, and 
other indebtedness for $179, making 
total indebtedness of $25,014 against the 
farm and property estimated by him¬ 
self to be worth $27,202. This must 
leave his surplus on paper to be $2,188. 
How much money would you want to 
invest in new or even renewal notes 
of the farmer? If anyone has worked 
for money and wants to invest it on 
such a margin, lie ought to have the 
privilege of doing so, but the people 
who part with their money should at 
least have the privilege of knowing the 
conditions 
There is another feature of this pro¬ 
position that merits consideration. A 
considerable portion of the property 
held by such concerns is suburban de¬ 
velopment property. This is bought in 
acreages, at acreage prices. It is then 
surveyed in city lots, with more or less 
outlines of streets, and then valued as 
suburban lots. How much is added to 
the purchase price to make the lot price 
is a matter of the judgment or conve¬ 
nience of the operator. An acre valued 
at $1000 is cut into 15 city lots, and the 
operator would be considered conserva¬ 
tive if he held the lots at $300, but this 
would be $4,500 for the acre. The lot* 
are subject to a mortgage and whatever 
value the lots have above this belong* 
to the company, and you loan your 
money on their notes on the value of 
this equity. It is estimated that there 
are nearly 30 companies in or near New 
York City selling debentures on such 
equities. We can only go by their own 
reports as long as they keep going, but 
several have gone into the courts and in 
every such case the debentures were a 
complete loss to the investors in them. 
J- J. d. 
EMPIRE 
Cream Separator Factory 
WORKING NIGHTS 
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EMPIRE CREAM SEPARATOR COMPANY 
BLOOMFIELD. NEW JERSEY 
Chicago, 111. Portland, Ore. Toronto, Can. Winnipeg, Can. 
m 
HOW 
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T O ^ ROW 
t h I n ■ 
[i 
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ALFA 
ON YOUR FARM OR COUNTRY ESTATE 
It is now time to plan and prepare for the summer planting. You can grow Alfalfa on your 
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Standard throughout the world 
Let us tell you of the method of growing Vetch with your spring planting of Oats to Increase the Oat crop 
and enrich the soil at the same time. Also how to secure the same results by growing Soy Beans or other le¬ 
gumes with your Corn. All spring sown clovers should be inoculated, and a little fertilizer applied now means 
more hay. Cow Peas and Soy Beans for Hay—ns milk producers, cannot bo excelled. This is practical inform¬ 
ation of value to every farmer. 
TKI.L US YOUH PLANTING IDEAS KOR THE YEAR AND LET US HELP YOU PLAN IT ECONOM¬ 
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EARP-THOMAS FARMOGERM CO., Bloomfield, N. J., U. S. A. 
— Our New Book No. 14 Sent free — 
lants—Sows 
F ertilizer—Covers 
Rows It's a pleasure to walk be¬ 
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time will drop wet or dry fertilizer in ac¬ 
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This is the original — the only genuine 
77Be- 
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CORN PLANTER 
is a great tlmo and temper saver. No stopping to fuss 
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write us. 
Free Catalog —Send for our 64-pago catalog, has a 
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BELCHER & TAYLOR 
AGRICULTURAL TOOL CO. 
Box No^ 75 Chicopco Falls, Mass. 
The School of Veterinary Medicine 
at the University of Pennsylvania 
trains students in all lines of veterinary work. Fa¬ 
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KLEIN, Dean, Dept. E, 39th and Woodland Avo., 
Philadelphia, 
Milk Prodiirpr^ for New York City market 
lTllrn r 1 UUUliCl CY desiring information how to 
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The Ready Ration 
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The only feed that’s guaranteed 
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Here's Our Trial Offer 
Go to your dealer (it ho can’t supply you. 
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Feed two sacks (200 lbs.) to any one cow—watch 
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If Larro-feed does not please yon. take the un¬ 
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321 Cilleipio Bldg. DETROIT, MICH. 
— - - ---. - ■ i—-- 
COOK YOUR FEED and SAVE 
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Your Own Drain Tile 
THE FARMERS’ CEMENT TILE MACHINE 
Makes tile 3 to 8 inches in diain., 1214 inches long. One man or boy operates it by hand 
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Box 604 . ST. JOHNS, MICH. 
