A Historical Lagniappe, from Alston Mabry
Simple Principles of Investment, 1919 by Thomas Gibson
In chapter XI "Industrial Stocks" (p. 125) the author states that the large industrials "decline to issue full and frequent reports as to their condition and earnings".
"The very worst feature of this state of affairs is that a few 'insiders' are at all times in possession of the facts and are able to act upon them marketwise. No one who has observed the stock markets, even in a perfunctory way, has failed to note instances of vigorous advances or declines in certain stocks, wholly unexplained to the bewildered public owner."