Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-08-09
The Increasing Value of a Good
Character.


Character.
Every year a reputation for honesty,
industry and good morals becomes more
valuable. Young men ought to note this
fact well, and parents who are fond OF
their children and hope TO see them hap
py and prosperous ought TO note IT..
The dishonesty that is all the time crop
ping out among those who are employed
in positions OF trust and responsibility
makes the managers Of banks, business
houses and other institutions in which
large amounts of moneyiare handled, OK
ceedingly careful whom they employ.
They want to know all about a man now
a-days before they put him in the way Of
temptation.
In the large cities the system Of requir-
ing those who are employed IN positions
Of trust 10 give bond is rapidly going out
OF practice. The guarantee companies are
superseding that system. A man who
seeks position where he will have
the handling of money must
get one Of these companies to guar
antee that he Will be honest. To get such
guarantee man must live a very cor
rect life. Before he can get 1T his habits are
thoroughly inquired into by competentde-
tectives. IF they find he has bad habits
habits that require money-he cannot get
it at all, and, consequently, can't get the
employment he desires.
All men who lead apparently correct
lives are not honest. Because a man at
tends church or sunday school it doesn't
follow that he will not steal If the tempta-
ton is placed in his way, but it isn't
very often that man who leads a thor
oughly correct life is guilty Of crooked
transactions. Now and then there is one,
but he is naturally bad, and while pre-
tending to be honest, clean handed and
clean hearted, is only playing the part OF
a hypocrite.
The great majority of those who rob
their employers are simply weak. They
contract habits that require more money
than they earn. They first borrow and
then steal 10 pay their loans. Having
started on the downward course their
progress toward ruin increases until
their crime is discovered.
Many a disgraced and ruined young
man dates the beginning of his downward
career from his first cigarette, or his first
bottle of wine. AS boy he thought it
manly to smoke and drink. He probably
took buggy rides when he didn't know
where the money TO pay the expense was
30 come fIom.
1t is not improbable that there are boys
In this city who owe for cigarettes, cigars.
and wine. Boys, and even young men,
who go in debt for such things, are in dan
ger. 1t is an evidence that they are liv-
ing beyond their means.
The boys who pride themselves on being
able to ape the vices of their elders do not
as a rule succeed in life. They are practi-
cally wrecked before they reach maturity.
They fall along the way and are quickly
forgotten.
Every defalcatlon makes bank Presi-
dents and merchants more careful
respecting those they employ. They
don't want to be robbed, and they know
I that they are in less danger from men
who live sOberly, decently and within
their incomes than from those who drive
fast horses, frequent the gaming
/ table, drink expensive liquors,
and lead irregular lives in
other respects. In order to become
| physically and morally strong, it is ne
/ cessary to begin right. Parents are re-
spOnsible for the beginning. Some of
/ them, however, don't realize how much
the happiness and welfare of their chill
dren depend on them. They don't train
them: they simply permit them to grow
up. They see their mistake when It is too
late.