Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1874-01-05
BUSINESS INTEGRITY.

"
The recent failure of man who ha
carried on quite an extensive business
and the embarrassment which his failur,
is causing those who have loaned hin
money and endorsed his paper, is seri
ously injuring business in one section
Of our county, and ought to teach les,
son that all should heed. This instance
Is similar to many in all parts of the
country where an individual or a firm
begins business on small capital, and
on account of reputed honesty and re-
spectacle business talents, is able TO run
along for a season without difficulty,
while the credit of the business Is i'm
proving, though it may be carried on at
loss Those who have engaged in the
enterprise have pride in its success and in
their eagerness to succeed or to regain
what has been lost they borrow money
from their friends and townsmen. thus
increasing and enlarging their business.
until their capital Is, comparatively, all
borrowed. Then the disadvantages that
result from paying high rates of interest,
and the efforts that have to be made to
meet obligations in times Of emergency.
are such that only the best of luck and
the most prosperous times will keep the
firm or individual from failure. and his
creditors from loss. A man may have
a right to hazard his own means in spec
ulations and perilous undertakings, but
he has no right to take risks on the can
ital that belongs to other men. Those
who are doing business on capital that
Is wholly or partly borrowed, for the
safety Of all parties, ought to keep their
craft near the shore and in safe anchor
age, for it takes the staunchest vessels
to Outrlde the storms and tempest of the
ocean. If We knowingly risk another's
money and lose it, it is as bad as though
We had stolen it, for we have taken mon
ey, broken our promises and BETRAYED
confidence, while We leave the law and /.
our creditors unredressed. Most of the
failures and many Of the bank defalca-
tons that have lately occurred, have |
been occasloned by speculations, under
taken On borrowed money, or that taken /
without the knowledge of the owner and /
thrown into the pool of speculation to |
be lost There are others almost every- /
where that are doing business and build
Ing up reputation Of such a character.
As Will allow them TO borrow money and
obtain credits for the sole purpose of de-
fraudIng and cheating their creditors.
whenever it viii be to their interest to
do so. These classes will prey upon the
eredulity and kindness Of an accommo-
dating public, and it will be fortunate
for those who lend money and give cred
It's when they are more careful and more
suspicious Of those who are doing much
on credit, on small capital or windy
Pretences. There are those who less fla
gravity abuse public confidence, who ale
still wanting in business integrity. Thew
deceive with their tongues, and cheat
their fellows with lies ; 4 small class
cheats IN weights and measure others
make pledges with no intention Of full
nllIng them, and feel no shame in their
VIOLATION. One good method Of teaching
that class which does not appreciate the
worth Of good standing and a good
reputation for business integrity, would
be for the public to visit them with sueh
Indignation and such a severe letting
alone, that their credit and their busi-
ness would be destroyed; another meth.
Cd would be the creation Of still more
stringent laws, that those who betrav
public confidence could be more violent
y and summarily dealt with. But bet
ter than all else would be higher nor
a and christian standing in society, 50
that all men would hold their pledges
and their words sacred.