The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-03-24
MWhom Can We Trust 2.

In these days of political gangrene, o.
af,icial corruption, and infidelity to pub
lie and private trusts, the inquiry i,
often heard among worthy people,
"Whom can we trust?'' It would seem
by the despairing manner in which this
ejaculation 10 uttered, that confidence
had died out of the human breast. Mer
have seen their idols fall, and shattered
in the falling; they have seen men the
most honored become the most dishon-
ored of men; they have seen men the
most trusted prove false to the most
sacred OF human trusts. In view Of all
this, it is no wonder that plain contiding
people should exeiaim,-"Whem can we
trustr'
But, after all these sad examples OF
faithlessness, so shocking to mans bet
tar nature, it can not be doubted that
there are those whom we can trust. 1t
eaa not be presumed that all men have
turned their baess upon honor, and bid
farewell to honesty. To suppose this
"Just &C bath ned to british beasts,
And men nave lost their reason"
In ali the walks of life there are men
whom covetousness could not entice to
wrong doing, nor ambition tempt to dis
honor; men "who would not fatter Nep-
tune for his trident, nor Jove for his
power to thunder" The problem is,
how TO find them. Men are too prone to
accept protestation and pretention as
grounds Of confidence, forgetting that
they are the common tricks OF the knaye,
and that the genuine spirit of fidelity
and honor does not manifest itself by
cIamor OF its merits nor rrotestation OF
it's excellence. Pretentious men pro-
claim their virtue because they know
they have it not; the honest man is quiet
because conscious Of his own honesty.
1t Is among quiet unpretending men
that sterling honor and unbending
honesty are most often found. These
virtues, religious pretensions do not
slwaYs cover, but true religious pfinci-
ri-s always must.
A writer in the Boston Journal gives
this instance as occurring in New York
oie Of our banks found that the cash.
ier had stolen the entire capital. A
meeting was called of the stockholders
TO Mind The affairs up. One man pro-
posed to try again, as the charter was a
special one and very valuable. "Whom
can we tiust?' was the inquiry
A director said: 81 can find you
a young nan that you can trust
He is d true blue Cameronian Presbyte
rian. You can trust him with uncountet
gold.n Tie young man was teller IL
one Of the city banks. He was elected
cashier, and began his herculean work
(. He brought the stock up to 1850, with
none in the market. He Is now
President, with salary of $25,00t
sear. Ills unbending integrity
ON three occasions saved the banF
from utter ruin. On one OF these ocea
sIons a great cash company was de
uositor OF the bank. The outside ap
pearance was fair, but rumoF SAID thu
institution was in trouble. One morn
ing tie bank President received visit
The visitor said: 1--WE must have tWt
millions this morning, and your banl
must fusn.sh it. We have been heay.
depesitors with you, and have kept ;
heavy balance with you for years. W.
arc SOW IN trouble, and you must com,
10 n,it relief" 81 can not help you,
s.id lie President, "wlthout r.s;;nnil,iii, &,
three thousand customers who look Il
us TO protect them. You have kept you
motley in our bank because you believe'
il was safe. Your offer OF a heavy bonu
goes for nothing. This bank has neve
paid Il mill over seven per cent, an
never wIll.n The Institution that sougt
the two millions was bankrupt, an
closed lis doors before noon.
In public life, as well as in busines
Life, there certainly are men Of like III
bending integrity of character. The
EdeIity to right is founded upon prime
be, and not simply on policy. Sue
p.sa can surely be found. But to loc
far them among the clamorous and pr
teutious win lead to inevitable disa
pcintment. There never was peri'
n our couutry's history when this scr
t..xtsas more required, and never Nhi