The Grange advance., 1873-11-05
ABUSE OF TRUST FUNDS.

DetalcatlOns in cases where trust
funds are held make a frightfully large
figure in our newspapers. They were
Of all grades, and in all sorts Of trusts,
and ought to occasion general alarm.
This species of crime is a very Sc
ductive one, and it is promoted by
false theory Of the rights and duties of
persons vested with trusts. This false
hood is that the trustee is entitled to
the use Of money placed in his hands
until it is wanted for the purposes Sc
cured in the trust. For example, in
this city, it was, few years ago, the
right Of the treasurer to put out money
received from taxes at interest, and to
put the interest into his own purse. In
deed, the present city treasurer is barred
from personal use of such interest only
by his promise to pay the same into the
treasury. The salary was contempti-
BILE nothing compared to the interest
gains, and these last enriched the treas
urer in single year. It required
general bolt and independent move
ment in city politics to break up this
thieving practice.
What was true in one Office in this
city is, we believe, still true in many
others, and is generally true in all mi
nor Offices throughout the country, and
especially true in small towns and coun-
ties. School funds are generally held
with such an understanding. The off,
Ger in charge Of the funds may use
them for his business No disgrace at
taches to him unless he fails to pay
when the money is called for in due
course Of public business.
In other words, the public generally
is so much demoralized that it is no
ofense to public sense to convert pub
lie funds to private use, and make prof.
its out of such abuse. We do not al
ways stop here. The political party
organizations are in part kept up by
tribute exacted from the men who hold
places in which they can steal in this
way. Gen. Barlow resisted such an
assessment few years ago, and found
no general support in doing it. Men
reasoned that he ought to make these
illegitimate profits, and ought to main:
tain the party with them
There could not well be worse in
ducement to abuse of trust funds than
public opinion which tolerates or even
demands the perversion and calls the act
by its right name only when the offend
er fails to do safe and profitable busi-
ness with perverted money. We pun
ish the man not for his crime, but for
business incapacity, or for being caught
in panic-the act we have in many
ways distinctly approved.
Defended by every sort of false rea.
soning, furnishing support for party
organization, and insidiously diAused
through the whole popular thinking,
this mortal heresy in morals is one Of
the most difficult to extirpate. When
ever a cause deemed good can be
served by it, the abuse of trust is tole-
rated, defended, or demanded by men
who would blush to counsel bov to
steal so much as penny.
You have countenanced abuse of pub
lie money to support your party, OF to
help your friends, until most men in
Office are in danger of falling into temp.
tation. It is time to turn about and
insist that every dollar gained in this
way is a stolen dollar. Great disasters
and voting for clean and honest care Of
public and church money. A stiff
may be saved by timely action, warning,
gale OF financial distress would, we fear,
wreck good many fair names.
The men who have been taught to
consider public money in their hands
as subject to their own use for the
time being, have been put right where
severe times must find thom o,,4 III