St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-03-31
THE ERA OF DISHONESTY.
Chicago Express.


The New York Times discusses at
some length, what it calls "the disease of
dishonesty" 1t has discovered that
there is no longer any trust or conf
dence even in the employees of the most
substantial business houses, and that all
subordinates who handle money are
expected to steal if the severest check
guards and inquisitions are not put
upon them. The times says:
Business men often say that they do not
know whom TO trust. Clerks and cashiers steal.
disease of dishonesty tfor such it seems to be)
has so infected every branch OF business that
employees who handle money must be sur
rounded with innumerable detective devices,
and the handling of money be taken from them
as far as possible OF course, this excessive
vigilance reacts upon naturally dishonest ma
lures, until some men spend much time IN ma
king plans to beat the bell punch" which
phrase may be taken as meaning all Of the CON
triyanceS to elude the vigilance OF employers.
Small pay and the consciousness OF being con-
stantiy under suspicion may help to make
thieves of weak men. But even this will not
account for the alarming prevalence OF the
petty thieving and speculation which are sure
to end in large crimes, Fast living, evil ass0-
ciates, and loose morals are largely responsible
for the first lapses from honesty. But these do
not all furnish the root of bitterness which has
poisoned the life OF SO many promising young
men. There it something radically WRONG III a.
condition of society which fosters thievery,
and in which sturdy, old fashioned honesty
seems in fair way to become one OF the lost
traits of character"
The Times is right in assuming that
'stlere is something radically wrong in
a condition OF society which fosters
thievery." This is due to the fact that
stealing on a large scale having been
made respectable, stealing on q small
scale can only be held in check by the
dangers of detection. 1t is the same
condition that made thieves of the chill
dren of bondage in the south before the
war. The slaves knew that they pro-
duced what their master possessed, and
they were not backward ein helping
themselves to the contents III his chick
en- coops and potato banks.p From the
original wrong of unpaid toll comes
the loose notions of the sacredness OF
property which the negroes of the south
are reputed to possess. So, mean wages,
the civilized form of slavery, make
thieves of men. The corporations
which oppress and rob the public can
not trusnan employees unless he is hand
cuffed With guards and checks. This
spirit of decentralization has entered in
to all our affairs. Public life is polluted
by fraud and private life by greed.
There is scarcely railroad in the
country that is not a monument OF dis
honesty-the robher, under the cover OF
law, OF the public and its employees.
Every cross-tie represents a swindle,
sell their services to the highest bidder.
The best eloquence, logic and thought
is in the market. The warnings and
penalties of the law are only for the
poor and friendless. Clergymen are
thinking more of salaries than of the
salvation of souls. Editors pander to
the commonest and meanest thoughts
of their time. To succeed in politics
requires the audacity, recklessness, and
irresponsihility of the cOmmonest gam
bier. A low standard of business
| honor makes trade Il sort OF medltied
piracy. The cry swells up sonorously
| from the great marts of commerce, that
| national honor" requires the govern
ment to pay always more than it bor-
rOwed. Honest men are at the mercy
of legally fortified thieves. In the
midst of all is the abject ffunkeyism tG
riches and power. The few men OF
wealth decide the elections, just as the
Shareholders ruled the south, and made
| the many fight for the perpetnation OF
property in man. So we 60. From the
/ highest to the lowest from the senator
who has grown rich in Office to the Ia
borer who Sights his work; from the
hundred millionaire who has robbed
every man on the continent to the clerk
who pilfers from his employer from
| the woman who sells herself for riches
in loathsome marriage to the girl whe
| accepts the poorer wages of sin-it j:
the same sickening story OF dishonesty
and corruption, of selling minds and
4 hpliac and SaTlS for rnnnaV
/ 1t society still pursues these paths OF
| crime the day will come when we shall
have race of malefactors, and mer
will be unable to beget children tina
are not criminals.