Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-08-13
INTEGRITY OF WOMEN.

A Business Man Pronounces Them More
Honest, Correct. and Attentive Than
Men-Female Embezzlers Said to Be
Unknown Characters.
."Do women embezzle?"
This quest on was recently put to one
of the heaviest dry-goods merchants of
cashiers.
do women embezzle? No they
don't. / never knew woman who
handled other peoples money to steal
cent 1 have employed women as
cashiers for years. They are quicker
at making change than men; they de-
tect counterfeit money quicker; they
keep their accounts clearer and dom
wish to run the whole store as men do.
Never have known of single case of
embezzlement by women, never have l
heard of one. l can not say the same
of men. l have employed four young
men at different times as cashiers.
One left me. one was not quick enough,
and the third robbed me-"
This is the test mony of but one
business man of the many whose evil
dence could be given proving the hon
esty of women when handling the
money of other people. The statement
of others, who have informed them
selves on the subject Is that women
seldom fail to pay their debts, and even
when they mi ght avail themselves of
the bankrupt act. they prefer to hold
themselves legally liable for the debt.
While the newspapers are full of
wicked embezzlements of bank presi-
dents running away with fortunes.
wrecking homes. impoverishing fami-
lies. destroying regulations. disgracing
their friends and running themselves;
while trusted men are robbing public
institutions. gambling and stealing.
caring not whom they rob, wrong or
ruin. women are seldom guilty of such
dishonesty or crimes.
The general belief is that women are
honest. Yet in the face of these facts
and the almost universal belief in their
honesty, women are not trusted in
business way by men. Men refuse to
lend them money to start in business.
to invest in real estate, or to help them
save their property upon which thew
have paid cer.ain amount, and which
can only be secured by prompt payment
of the remainder. Women often find
it hard to secure even a small loan on
good security. Men as a rule prefer to
say they have not the means at hand.
Some will prevaricate. giving almost
any reason for refusing to lend rather
than the correct one. while few are
manly enough to state the truth. saw
ing: I'VE do not do business with
women" But very few treat them as
they do men and give them chance to
make an honest living.
Why is this? 1t is not that men con-
slider them dishonest. 1t is because
they have no confidence in the business
capacity of women or in their Judgment
as to investing or taking care of money.
Some men cling to the old idea that it
is not becoming in a woman to engage
in business outside of home, however
needy she may be. Hundreds of wealthy
men will give and give literally, to
establish s.homes for women who have
failed to secure homes for themselves.
Yet if a few hundred would have ena-
bled them to provide for themselves
these good men would not have loaned
them the small annuity because they
believed they did not understand bust
ness. The greatest kindness and mod
est act is to help the needy to help
themselves. If women do not under
stand business, how are they to over
come this deficiency if prevented by
such circumstances from acquiring the
proper knowledge? With honest prn-
ciples and proper opportunities. sup
piled with some means and trusted by
the public. they can not fail to become
as trusted in business and as proficient
bread-winners as their brothers. Give |
them an opportunity to become self
supporting rather than genteel paul
pers. Save them this terrible humilia- |
ton added to their other trials.-Pitts- |
bsr0h Commercial Gazette.