1754 
November in, 1 020 
PUBLISHER’S DESK 
All letters to Publisher’s Desk depart¬ 
ment must be signed with writer’s full 
name and address given. Many inquiries 
are answered by mail instead of printing 
inquiry and answer, hence unsigned let¬ 
ters receive no consideration. 
Can you give me any information con¬ 
cerning the L. R. Steel Co., Buffalo. N. 
Y., who claim to have a chain of stores 
throughout the country, and who also 
claim to pay seven per cent interest on 
all money invested? The stockholders 
have the privilege of buying the goods at 
a discount. The shares are sold for $2 
per mouth. W. H. 
New York. 
Mr. Steel, the promoter of this com¬ 
pany, Avas formerly connected with an¬ 
other chain store enterprise. The con¬ 
cern is comparatively new, 'and only the 
future can determine whether it will be 
(successful or not. Those putting their 
savings in the stock are merely speculat¬ 
ing as to whether the business can be 
established on a profitable basis and pay 
the proposed dividends. In the readjust¬ 
ments that are taking place retail stores 
are not likely to make the profits they 
have enjoyed during the past couple of 
years. 
Whatflh your opinion of Alois P. Swo- 
boda and his system of “Conscious Evo¬ 
lution,” in which he professes to have 
discovered the “fountain of youth.” claim¬ 
ing a man will be more energetic and 
younger at 150 years of age than at 50 
years by the use of his system? 1 can 
see nothing in it, only a scheme to get 
money. i>k. F. F. 
New York. 
Our estimate of Alois P. Swobodu’s 
system of “Conscious Evolution" is ex¬ 
pressed in the last sentence of the letter 
of the above physician. It will lie re¬ 
membered by our old readers that just 
two years ago this time tlft; famous libel 
suits of Swoboda vs. The Rural New- 
Yorker for nearly $800,000 were heard 
in the courts of this city. 
On the stand Mr. Swoboda made a 
laughing stock of himself in trying to ex¬ 
plain what his system of “Conscious Evo¬ 
lution” meant, and the ridiculousness of 
his claims of having discovered the 
“fountain of youth” was fully illustrated 
by comparing in court a photograph of 
himself, taken some 15 years ago, and 
still used in his literature with liis own 
physical appearance on the witness stand. 
The It. N.-Y\ proved by expert testimony 
that Swoboda’s simple system of exercises 
were known and practiced by physical 
culture teachers before he was born, and. 
therefore, he could not have discovered 
it. This system of exercises, meritori¬ 
ous enough in itself, has been made 
the vehicle for an easy-money scheme by 
thits individual. 
I send a paper. Young's Exchange, No. 
Philadelphia, Pa., which is circulating 
among the farmers in this vicinity, and 
wish to know what you think about them. 
Are they reliable? They ask $25 for right 
to .sell them, or $10 a share to join the 
exchange, and members will receive from 
27 to 37 per cent for this year on their 
money, besides getting more for crops 
than those who pay $25. No one could 
buy more than 10 shares. 1 (lid not in¬ 
vest; it looks shaky to me. H. L. m. 
Pennsylvania. 
Young's Exchange agrees, in the circu¬ 
lar inclosed, to pay members for a period 
of five years definite prices as quoted. To 
illustrate, the exchange agrees to pay for 
White No. 1 potatoes from $1 to 82 per 
bu. Who knows hut .that potatoes may 
only bring 50c per Ini. or less, as lias hap¬ 
pened in the past, during the coming five 
years, and in that event how can Young’s 
Exchange pay $1 per bu.? Again, should 
potatoes sell at the high prices of the 
past Spring, where would the grower get 
off on the maximum price of $2? The 
scheme is too preposterous for serious con¬ 
sideration—leave it alone. 
Will you give us some information con¬ 
cerning the enclosed lease? There is a 
Mr. Vance covering the country here, 
leasing many farms, making large prom¬ 
ises and claiming there is much gas and 
oil here, even claiming that it is coming 
out on top of the ground in many places. 
They claim the Standard Oil Company is 
going to finance the operations, which 
will start very soon. The oil will he for 
the Cunard Steamship Line, as they 
want to change from coal to oil burners. 
I did not lease, but many people are doing 
so. I cannot understand why an indi¬ 
vidual is leasing this laud if the Standard 
Oil Company is financing it. I also think 
The RURAL NEW-YORKER 
10 per Pent of the production too little for 
the owner of the land. e. n.u. 
Pennsylvania. 
The individual whose name appears in 
the lease as the -party of the first part is 
Samuel Swctt. Who Mr. Swett may he 
or whom he represents we do not kliow. 
If the Standard Oil Company had any 
interest in the lease it is fair to assume it 
would he drawn up in the name of the 
company. This sort of lease between a 
farm owner and an unknown individual 
of unknown responsibility binds the farm¬ 
er to the terms of the contract and ties 
him up so that he cannot lease the oil or 
gas rights to anyone else, or operate him¬ 
self. These ready-made leases are always 
written in the interest of the lessee. This 
particular lease binds Mr. Swett to noth¬ 
ing, even though he were financially re¬ 
sponsible. The lease only gives him the 
privilege of drilling on the farm for oil or 
gas. but there is nothing in the lease 
putting any obligation on Mr. Swett to 
do so. lie also relieves himself of any 
obligations by the following paragraph 
from the lease: 
And be it further 'agreed, that the said 
party of the first part, his heirs or as¬ 
signs, shall have the right, at any time, to 
surrender up this lease and same shall 
from that time become null and void*, and 
no longer binding on either party. 
It is more than folly for any farm own¬ 
er to sign such a lease under any circum¬ 
stances, and much less should lie do so 
with an individual of unknown responsi¬ 
bility. Our universal advice to farmers 
who arc about to enter into important 
contracts is to go to some good attorney 
and have him draw up such a lease ox- 
contract as will protect the farmer’s in¬ 
terest. Never sign a ready-made contract 
or lease of this kind which only protects 
the interest of the other party. 
I enclose clipping from Pittsburgh 
Press, Pittsburgh, Pa., entitled “Indict 
Many in Alleged Fake Stock Crusade.” I 
thought perhaps that this may help to 
save some of your readers, as there are so 
many fake stock, oil aud gas agents 
out selling stock. I wish you success 
with your good work. R. m. a. 
Pennsylvania. 
The Pittsburgh report shows that 34 
individuals were recommended for indict¬ 
ment by a judge of the Criminal Courts, 
most of them in connection with oil stock 
schemes. The list of the individuals and 
the oil companies which .formed the basis 
of the alleged swindles is .too long to 
print here. The wholesale indictments 
illustrate the dangerous-character of these 
oil schemes that are peddled around by 
soft-voiced pirates. The incident should 
be sufficient warning to those •who are 
tempted to nibble on tliis* class of oil 
stock bait. * 
The Thompson Treatment Company, 
San Antonio, Tex., has been indicted by 
the Federal Grand Jury. The company 
was formed to exploit an alleged tubercu¬ 
losis cure which was to be effected by in¬ 
haling vapors from a machine filled with 
medicated earth. The machines were 
leased to patients at prices -ranging 'from 
$25 to several thousand dollars. 
Beeswax; Mixing Plaster of Paris 
1 . Can you tell how to make beeswax? 
2 . I have seen things made of plaster of 
paris and broken pieces of dishes, llow 
is the plaster of paris mixed? 
Granby, Conn. sirs. w. n. 
1. Beeswax comes already made, the 
hoes having worked up nectar from the 
flowers into that product of the hive, ft 
may be melted over a slow fire and poured 
into molds if you wish to make .it into 
fancy forms. 
2 . I do not know just how 'broken pieces 
of dishes are used with plaster of paris, 
hut it was fashionable a few years ago 
to make plaques for decorative purposes 
by mixing plaster of paris aud water to 
the consistency of paste and plastering it 
upon a cut or molded glass dish, such as 
a round butter dish of pretty design, -and 
then removing it after hardening, attach¬ 
ing a ribbon and hanging it as a wall 
decoration. With the present ^availabil¬ 
ity of cut glass and imitation cut glass 
dishes in different shapes for molds, the 
children of today should be able to im¬ 
prove upon our efforts to produce some¬ 
thing really decorative fi-om plaster of 
paris and water. Perhaps it would be 
better to let them experiment with some¬ 
thing of less value than the cut glass wed¬ 
ding present, however. Plaster of paris 
mixed with water sets quickly, and a little 
experimenting will teach the proper con¬ 
sistency of the stuff to work with. As a 
Winter day’s amusement for girls and 
boys of some artistic instincts, this liiut 
should prove of interest to mothers who 
don’t mind a little muss in the kitchen. 
M. R. D. 
It pays to put underwear 
money into 
“ HANES ” 
—bigger value, 
longer wear and 
greater comfort / 
Underwear 
F OR years “Hanes” win¬ 
ter underwear for men 
has proven itself to be the 
national standard. Its pop¬ 
ularity extends from coast- 
to-coast! It wins on merit! 
Your confidence in every 
“Hanes” garment can 
never be misplaced. 
“Hanes” guarantee proves 
that! 
“Hanes” underwear is made 
in heavy and medium winter 
weight union suits and heavy 
weight shirts and drawers. 
The medium weight union 
suit, new this year and illus¬ 
trated in this advertisement, 
is exceptional value. It is 
made of full combed yarn, is 
silk trimmed and carries a 
yellow Hanes label. 
“Hanes” Union Suits for boys 
duplicate the men’s Union Suits ia 
important features with added Seed- 
ness. They stand the stifiest wear 
and the hardest wash. Sizes 20 to 
34, covering ages from 2 to 16 years. 
Two to four year old sizes have drop 
seat. Inspect these remarkable 
"Hanes” garments at your dealer’s. 
If he cannot supply .you, write us. 
P. H. HANES KNITTING CO. 
Winston-Salem, N. C. 
New York- Office: 366 Broadway 
Next Summer — You’ll want to 
Read Hanes Guarantee: 
"We guarantee Hanes Underwear absolute¬ 
ly —every thread, stitch and button. We 
guarantee to return your money or give 
you a new garment if any seam breaks." 
wear Hanes Nainsook Union Suits! 
The Yardstick of Roofing Value. 
What is it? It’s the cost per 
square foot per year of service 
I T doesn’t pay to gamble with roofings. 
You won’t gamble if you buy Bird’s 
NeponsefParoid for that new roof of 
yours. For more than 20 years it has 
proved its worth. If your dealer cannot 
supply you right out of his stock, we will 
ship you direct. 
BIRD & SON, inc. (Established 1795) East Walpole, Mass. 
