The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-04-12
LIE rrity Among BUSINESS Men

I1ie yrity Among Business Men.
Is the standard Of integrity among bust
ness men being loWeredi 1t certainly looks
so. Not day passes but that In some part
Of the country there is a dedication, an
embezzlement or a crooked transaction Of
some kind among business men. And the
worst Of 1t is that those who are guilty Of
wrong-doing seem TO lie just as well
thought of in the business world
as those who are honest in all their deal
| ings, provided they keep out Of the clutches
OF the law and avoid exposure in the pub
lie prints. If they escape exposure and
| punishment they act as if they were en-
titled to the recognition and social cour-
tesles from their acquaintance, and 1t is
seldom that they receive a rebuff. Is this
because there is not as high a regard for
business probity as there ought to BET
1t is certainly a very dangerous condition
OF affairs, 10 say the least of it. The con-
doning Of a breach of trust in any commu-
nifty is pretty certain 10 be followed by
other crimes Of a like nature in that COM
munity. If the impression gets abroad that
a mans relatives and friends will come to
his assistance if he proves false to the trust
reposed in him. and will shield him from
exposure and punishment. there are likely to
be many more crimes against properly than
If exposure were certain and punishment
sure.
But every time an ofFense is pardoned the
standard of business morality is lowered in
some degree. Men who place their honor
above everything are not, of course. infiu-
enced by the condoning of crime, but the
men who are likely to yield to temptation
yield more readily when they are tempted,
because they think that if their wrong-doing
is discovered the chances are that they will
not be exposed or punished.
Those, therefore, who assist in condoning
crimes, however commemorate their
motives may be, do society a positive
injury. They are indirectly responsible for
other crimes which are committed. They
break down the barriers which help TO
keep men honest.
In perhaps every city in this country the
excusing of young men who have robbed
their employers is not an uncommon occur
renee. In some instances those whose first
ofense is excused turn out well, but it is
safe to say that the great majority of them
come to bad end. But the practice of
condoning offenses would not be SO obiec-
tionable if the knowledge of the offenses
was confined to those directly concerned in
them. The offenses, however, become
known, and also the fact that they have
been condoned. The result is that wrong
doing is regarded lightly by those whose
sense of honor is not great.
1t is the duty Of business men in every
community to encourage high standard of
business morality. They should do this not
only by insisting upon the punishment of
all who are guilty Of violating the laws for
the protection of property. but also by re-
fusing to have any business or social rela.
tions with those WHO are guilty of crooked
business transactions of any kind.
Unfortunately, riches cover multitude
of sins nowadays. How much better it
would be for society if rich man who got
his wealth dishonesty we're treated as a
common thief, instead of being honored and
respected