Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 05 (of 10)American School of Correspondence
General
Cyclopedia of Commerce, Accountancy, Business Administration, v. 05 (of 10)
American School of Correspondence
Accounting; Business; Commerce
All orders for the purchase and sale of any article are received and
executed with the distinct understanding that _actual delivery_ is
contemplated and that the party giving the order so understands and
agrees.
SECURITIES
=7.= It is understood and agreed between the broker and his client, that
all securities carried in his account, or deposited to secure the same,
may be carried in the broker's general loans, and may be bought or sold
at public or private sale without notice, when such sale or purchase is
deemed necessary by the broker for his protection.
It is also understood and agreed that the right is reserved by the
broker to close transactions on all accounts without notice, when
protection is exhausted, or when, in his judgment, it is near enough
exhausted as to endanger the account, and the broker reserves the right
to settle contracts with his client, in accordance with the rules and
customs of the exchange where the order is executed.
BUCKET SHOPS
=8.= The class of brokerage concerns termed _bucket shops_ are those
which do not actually carry out the orders of their customers, who
neither buy nor sell anything, but who expect quick deals, frequent
changes and, speaking plainly, merely _gamble_ with their clients,
allowing them to take whichever side they prefer. The large margin which
this fraternity receives is a commission on deals whether they win or
lose.
In order to maintain at least a pretense of legality, there must be an
_actual_ transfer of all stocks and commodities speculated in. The
broker must acquire nominal possession of something which represents
stocks, grain, cotton, or other commodities. To do this he must borrow
money from the bank, or borrow stock or warehouse receipts from those
who have them to lend. In either instance he charges interest to his
speculative customers.
It is estimated that the brokers in New York City who are members of the
various exchanges, have an average amount in call loans outstanding of
about $600,000,000.00, all of which vast sum is used to finance the
orders of the brokers' customers. In dull times the minimum falls as low
as $350,000,000.00, but there have been periods of speculative activity
when $1,100,000,000.00 have been thus employed. The interest rate
charged brokers constantly varies, but those who have had dealings with
them state that their accounts rarely show less than five per cent
interest. The broker charges the customer six per cent, thus averaging
one per cent profit upon all money borrowed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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