ambition and sole
occupation is to secure for themselves the wealth of others by the most
occult and far-reaching scheming ever evolved by human brain. They toil
not, neither do they produce, yet Satan with all his archness is not
equipped like one of these. There is no taint of illegality in their
methods, they are outwardly the best of men, heralded by the press as
great financiers, railroad magnates, oil, copper, and iron kings,
praised by the rich and toadied to by the poor. They are envied by many,
lauded by editors who seek advertisements, and (if they contribute
liberally) praised by college presidents and preachers alike. Political
fortunes are turned by their nod, laws enacted in their aid, the code of
morals shaded in their favor, club doors opened, and society bowing low
whichever way they turn. Only the toiling millions whose lives are one
long fight against poverty think or speak ill of them, and such are not
considered. Those magnates of extortion so colossal that it is legal,
have one trite expression that contains their contempt for the millions
who envy, and that is, "The public be d----d."

Of their operation on the chess board of finance little need be said. It
is known, or at least its results are, to high or low, rich or poor.
These octopuses, or rather human sharks, organize trusts, corner every
necessity of life where conditions will permit; buy bankrupt railroads,
inflate their stock, boom it by systematic deception and then unload it
at top prices on the countless flocks of lambs ever ready to buy what is
dear, and who never by any known process can be induced to buy what is
cheap.

And those are financiers!

There is another class, usually with less money, but equal in brains and
audacity, who have come to be known as promoters. Relatively speaking
they should be called dogfish. They would be financiers if they could,
but lacking capital to buy railroads, or corner everything on the earth,
except water, they merely organize schemes and sell stock. How many, and
how varied those are, it is waste of space to specify. All that the
patient reader need do is consult the pages of any or all city dailies
and read the tempting list of schemes there to be found. All are alike
in the main, for all offer safe investments, sure and ample returns,
indorsed by names that glitter, and promise everything under the
sun,--except to return your money if you do not get value promised.

Of this class was J. Ma