Subject: File number S7-24-99 Author: "Frank Wichern" at Internet Date: 10/25/99 8:54 PM I do not believe the agency should consider relaxing short selling rules. On the contrary, with millions of new investors coming on-line with simple PC's, thousands of retail short sellers with sophisticated PC's and better access to information are licking their chops at the millions to be made even with today's regulations. You should be tightening the rules, or banning retail short selling altogether. If funds are not available to continue monitoring and enforcing the rules as they are, a better option for the long investor would be such a ban on retail short selling. If the voting public cannot have protection from illegal and manipulative practices that are going on now, let alone later, voters will hound Washington for relief, and stricter regulation measures will then have to be taken. It makes no sense to relax restrictions at a time, I believe, more stringent regulation measures should be adopted. If it is not done now, most probably it will have to be done later at a much, much higher cost to investors, voters, taxpayers and the Federal Government. Frank E Wichern, Pharmacist 850 W Madison St Platteville, WI 53818 fwichern@pcii.net 608-348-4397 after 6:00PM CT