Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-06-28
Another Illustration OF the bust
ness tendencies of the times.

Among the latest news We notice
the conviction and sentence to twelve
years, to the Concord States prison Of
S. Angler Chace for embezzlcmcnt
Of the funds Of the Union Mills at
Fall River. In the name and on be-
half of the public, the court, because
among other reasons, he has Wronged
them, imposed the punishmcnS indj-
Gated
Now he has wronged the public
and it is well that lie is stopped. But
docs the public ever stop to inquire
whether they have wrongcd him, or
mot? lie is another one lalicn vic
tim to the business tendencies of the
times. Why has this class Of crimes
so fearfully increased of late? Be
cause men now do business so much
in representative capacity. Men
who wall" own tho capital Of the
country are either too indolent, or are
incapacitated 10 have the control Of
it; and great proportion Of men in
this country are dealing with property
which belongs to others. If all were
honest this would lie Il mutual advan-
tage to both. because one having
<capital without business inclinations
or capacity, and the other having
business tendencies without capital
the two could unite to their mutual
advantage. Now if it were just or
even practicable that all capital could
BIO equally distributed, that would
bring only temporary relief, until by
craft and industry it reverted to its
present condition, which would speed
lily occur. Now, taking things as
they are, the only relief for such
poor fellows as Chace who are YET
lunhedged criminals, (and there are
many,} is to look about them and see
that they acquire right views Of their
practice in respect to their dealings
with the property Of others,
70 illustrate: When the lawyer
collects money for his client he must
1TemembeF that he has no right to Gre
dit the sum collected to the client and
charge for his services, and thus flat
Ter himself that he simply owes his
client an amount equal to the balance.
Or when goods are consigned, for
sale on commission, tho coa8igree
cannot use the proceeds in any way
and give his consgncr credit therefor
and fatter himself that he is doing a
straight business transaction and
vainly try to aattor himself with the
false idea that he has not stolen his
employers money, without tending
towards his own destruction.
So, to be in any degree safe, q
president Of savings bank must not
take its funds and put them into any
private speculation in hopes that he
can replace them before discovered.
And u community has duty to per-
form; it must create lively senti-
ment in the right direction SO that
such president shall understand that
when he thus misappropriates such
funds he is stealing them as much as
though he went to the little hut OF
the widow or orphan and took it, in
stead Of taking it after it was depo3-
tied in the bank and while the poor
ldepositos are sleeping with tender
confidence in his integrity.
There is a growing tendency, espec.
among our young men to look with
disgust upon small beginning in bust
ness. They have an idea that to be
gin small and be economical and work
is derogatory to business charac-
ter They must at once strive to be
regarded as business men. Men OIL
property of large business and Of
sufficient capacity to live without
work; and to keep up such appear
ances they appropriate the property Of
Others, and increase their style Of
living out Of the avails of il and keep
the fact that they must account for il
in the background, until their liahilit.
les topple on to them from behind
Then they wake from their poor fool
ish dream with the mere simple ex-
cuse that if something (Which they Of
course, were in no way responsible
for) had turned otherwise, and they
had not been so unfortunate, they
oo1ld have paid up their liabilities
and been all right.