Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-09-26
Fruits of Extravaganza and Specu-
latiOn.

Fruits of Extravaganza and Specu-
lation.
There is some ground for inquiring
whether there is as profound regard for
Integrity In business circles as there once
was. Hardly day passes now but that
there is report of great defalcation, or
a scandal OF some sort in the commercial
world.
These scandals are not confined to the
great cities and to men of doubtful repu-
tatiOn. They crop out in the smaller
places and reach those who hold them
selves so high as to leave the i'm
preston that they think themselves too
good to have anything to do with common
folks.
The Boston man, Gray, who, few
DAYS ago, blew his brains out because he
hadn't the courage to face those
he had robbed OF more than 100000,
stood so high in the commercial
and social world that he was en-
abled to carry on his thieving opera
tions without suspicion. The Hartford
| man, Bartholomew, who has just taken
up his residence in Canada. and
whose crooked transactions amount
to millions, was, for quarter of GEN.
fury, regarded as so eminently respect
able that no one would have dared to sus-
pect him OF wrong doing before the story
of his defalcations became nOised abroad.
| Both Gray and Bartholomew, however,
carried on their crooked work for years
haFO hnsr Aiohn
The haste to be rich and the extrava-
gance everywhere apparent are the chief
causes or 80 many defalcations. Men are
not willing to accumulate wealth by
the slow processes by which their
fathers gained fortunes. They hear Of
| fabulous sums being acquired by specu-
| lation in a short time, and in their impa-
thence to get rich they risk their all with
the hope of getting in week, or month,
or a year what they could not rea sonably
hope to acquire in legitimate business
| in much less than a lifetime of toll.
Generally they lose, and then, with the
hope of recovering their losses, they
speculate with the money Of others which
has been intrusted to them, or the funds
of institutions OF which they are the re-
sponsible officers.
Women are not wholly blameless for
this epidemic OF defalcations which af-
flicts the country. They are as extrava-
CANT as the men are. They insist upon
| fine houses, fine furniture, costly dresses,
a carriage, a season at fashionable sum-
mer resort, even when they have reason to
think that their husbands and fathers
cannot afford such things. They lack
the courage to appear less able TO CON-
mand luxuries than their more prosperous
neighbors. Their discomfort, when de-
MED anything they want which money
an buy, often forces those upon whom
they are dependent 10 become criminals
to supply the money to meet their de-
mands.
A man is in danger of becoming dishon-
est as soon as he lives beyond his legti-
mate income, and even If he INDUCES his
tastes for expensive living, for yachts
fast horses. fine wines, ETC., only to the
extent of his income, and puts nothing by
for the future, he may acquire habits
which will force him to become fugitive
from justice or make him an inmate of a
prison if his income fail.
Society would be benefited if the teach.
ings from the pulpit were more practical
If sermons dealt little less with theolo.
gy and a little more with the every day
concerns of life men and women might be
led TO see more clearly the importance o.
living within their means and of being
| satisfied with the fruits OF Legitimate in
dustry.
The great aim of life seems to be to gel
rich. and yet riches do not bring happi
ness. There are desires which wealth
cannot satisfy, however great it may be
Contentment, rather than riches, is pro
ductive Of happiness, and those who livt
within their incomes and put by some
thing each year for old age are the near
est to being content.