It has become customary in recent years for merchants, who have acquired a good credit standing, to sell their promissory notes to the public through brokers in commercial paper. These are largely purchased through commercial paper dealers by the banks who ultimately distribute them among investors for the employment of the latter's funds. A considerable proportion of these notes is single name paper, which is sold upon the credit standing of the maker. The only responsibility assumed by the broker is for the genuineness of the signature. When money is easy, there is a wide market for this class of commercial paper, but its buyers must depend entirely upon such credit information as they can obtain regarding its intrinsic value. Single name paper is bought and.sold on faith alone. The merchant financing himself through the discounting of his own promissory notes is required to file a statement of his financial condition periodically. The process of discounting single name paper is often carried to great abuse, for it is an uncertain matter as to the amount of such paper which a maker may have outstanding at a given time. There is further, no indication as to the occasion of its origin.