The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-13
ARE rMsszzLeMeNrs inonrAsino'
Society Largely to Blame for tho Down
fall of n Weak Man.

The New Yorl; Herald mas compiled a list
Of the embczzlements during the past year,
and from this list it reaches tho conclusion
that defalcations are on the increase and
that the confidence OF the employer is being
abused more and more. Its ground for this
inference is that the entertainments and the
number Of embezzlers OF 1888 are SO much
greater than those Of 1873 This may be true,
and yet it does not follow that dishonesty
among employees is increasing. The ratio OF
this class Of crimes may be no larger in lcSs
than in 1873, although the number OF EN-
bezzlement5 in the liter year may exceed
those ia the earlier Because we have more
capital employed in business more business
institutions, more positions OF trust TO be
filed. The monetary transactions have
largely increased and also the number Of EN-
ployes. With this growth in business comes
a growth III crime, because the field Of opera
tions for dishonest employees has been 90
greatly extended
A good deal Of this augmented crime can
be traced, first, 10 the employers themselves,
and, second, to the false standards OF life
Society is largely to blame for the downfall
of a weak man. 1t has erected meretriciOus
Standards OF quality, and those who secl. and
obtain admission into that society must live
up to these meretrcious standards or else
they will be ignored. \ weak, dependent
man, one that seeks for any kind Of social
distinction, no matter how puerile 1t may
lie, is utterly crushed il society ignores
him He must b2 recognized And this
6,eling of despair Is the first step toward
his personal destruction. Ii he should have
al eztrayagant wife and family who
olso have the craze for social recogni
ton, no is compelled to get it, If no cannot
earn enough money to maintain tho show, be
teglns to appropriate small sums from his
employer ~ the hope that by specuatmg OF
gambling lac can make a good deal more lie
may not mean 10 steal IN the beginning But
h. generally loses, and then the descent i'm the
down grade commences. After the first pee
ulation the remainder come easy. and before
be knows it he is an cmbezzler TO the extent
OF thousands Of dollars. There aro some
clerks who steal merely because they like L.
steal. but these arc in the minority. They
should not be considered in an.lyzirg the
causes that underic the desire 10 c,ubclzle.
Employers are 70 blame in this class OF
cases, not primarily, perhaps, for the cmboz
zlers generally belong % tho ti1I ted class OF
employees VINO Get good salaries But they
arc 10 blame for failure % prosecute because
friends or relatives make up the deficit
When this is done the matter Is dropped ANA
the embe2zlcr, having leit no disgrace, does
not appreciate the full extent OF his crime
The employer who does this does himself no
benefit, but docs positive harm to society
Every dishonest clerk or official should be
punished not only because he has done that
which merits some kind Of penalty, but be-
cause he has violated statute People whl
violate laws with impunity, by and by begin
10 lose their respect for the law.
There is yet another consideration. Every
time that a clerk is discovered in dishonest
action hc should be punished as warning t,
others who MAY contemplate wrong doing
Employers err again by putting young mel
in plac OF responsibility and then paying
them mcager salaries. IL is human nature e
err And the man who holds "a position oi
some importance will in time consider him
self also to be OF some importance When
this mental condition IS reached, he must live
better, dres better and enjoy life in all H.
pba.e s more completely. This take, money
Ii his employer does not give it to him for
services rendered the clerl, finally appropr |
atcs IN little sums the money Of his en- |
ployer. There is one peculiar fact about this |
peculating, and that IS that none II the en- |
bezzlcrs seem to realize that in the end their |
deeds will be discovered Detroit Free |
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