Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1886-05-06
FIDUCiARY CRIMES.
Two Plans For Reduction in the Num-
Der Of Embezziements.

Two Plans For Reduction In the Num-
Der Of Embezziements.
What can be done to stay the tide of
| fiduciarv crimes. There is a continuous
round of disclosures eff embezzlement
and forgery that makes the trusted en-
ploye anxious, for if men whose lives
are the most circumspect and who enjoy
the highest honors fall, is any mans
reputation safe The multiplicity of
| such cases has sent shock into every
avenue of investment, and touched with
more or less influence the vast majority
of employers, so that it comes as very
serious question, Who can be trusted?
! The high value of an honest man has
| been historv's delight. but has the spe-
| cies become so rare as TO be extinct, and
has the world gone beyond the methods
! bv which thew can be secured? That
| 294 men occupy the convict cell for the
| theft of about $50. 900, 900 is not assur-
| ance that the class have all been caught,
| locked up or disclosed. Nor is it Ger
| tain that the disgrace thus branded will
| check the flood of rascality. This
! iriquitv ought to be ended, and every
/ honest man is ready to join in the meas
| ures that best suggest how to do it.
There are two plans worth discussing,
and that are not wholly novel in their
workings. They are. first. by means OF
regular inspection by public account
| ants, and second. by the cooperation of
| honest employees in disclosing the habits
and society of financial clerks and mana
| gers If the State would enact a law by
which an accountant could be licensed.
| as in England, we might have the serv-
| ices of a competent man to overhaul the
affairs of firm at any time. By the
terms of his license, and the bonds he
/ filed. absolute integrity in examination
would be had, for if by accident he over
| looked any item wherein subsequent de-
| velopments show fraud had existed.
! this accountant bonds would be held
| responsible; and if he We're found to
| have disclosed to others the secrets Of
| the business he had investigated, the
| aggrieved principals would secure re-
dress through his bond. OF course such
| continuance would lose the accountant
| his license and his reputat on. 1t is the
| custom of a house having several
| branches in the various cities OF the
| Union. all doing large business. to
send twice a year Il corps Of bOok-keep-
ers from the home office to investigate
the books Of these branches, At the same
time taking the book-keepers from their
| branch houses to the home Office to over
| haul the records there. 1t has secured
absolute honesty in their business, sys-
| tematized their methods. and been a
| stimulus to their employees. All con-
| Germs are not SO situated, but no honest
| manager or book-keeper will for a mo-
| ment object to the SharpeSt inspection,
| and no employer should for a moment
| hesitate to verify the balances that
monthly and semi-annually are handed
! him.
The tell-tale, the espionage. are not
| popular. Gossip and SANDER are
| despicable, and no one thing so quickly
initiates as the report of suspicion: and
| vet very few crimes come to the surface
out of the mercantile and public employ,
! but scores of Il told YOU sos abound.
1t is a delicate office to perform,
| acquainting a house of the evil an EN-
| ploye is into. and vet there are few men
| so associated in organizations and
| orders but that seeing an erring brother
| they cannot find wise counsel to whom
| 10 make known the facts, and so reach
| the parties at interest. The bucket
| shops have been prolific source for
| irregularities. and no prudent employer
! mas WISH thaC MS people snail pa
! tronize them. Fast associates are the
allurements to hundreds of youths, and
populations their chief support. If
/ Young men and the middle-aged ceased
! to wink at the '.follies of the day" and
, were as stern in their integrity for their
associates as they were for their own
characters. vast deal of this dssi pa
ton would end. and compulsory hon
esty would save many an embezzier.
Am l my brother 5 keeper" was an
! swered in early times with decision
and an experience that ought to have its
! influence to-day. The matter is worth
very serious attention, for these multi
! plying defalcations are making it more
/ and more difficult for even honest men
to obtain positions of confidence, trus,
and emolument.-B0s BudgcL