Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-06
\ COMMERCIAL DRAMA
IN ONE ACT, WHICH IS AN ACT NOT
APPROVED.
The Application of Mercantile Ethics to
the Transaction of County Busi-
ness-Crusts in Soak for the
Supervisors to Peck.

DRAMATIs PERsoNE-Mr Bellamy Brown
lonn a Los Ange es merchant al a Mr.. Js bls-
reiurnid from a four months trip to Eufooe
and is now examining his books
Brownjohn-Mr. Jones will you please
step here moment and assist me in
the examination of this account current?
There are some things that am at a
loss to understand.
Jones-Certainly, sir; now what is it
that you wish to have explained?
Brownjohn-I left here on the I'd day
of August, and on that day 1 had in the
bank to my credit, over and above cash
and letters of exchange drawn for ex-
penses, the sum of 1912 ,474 IL, as ap-
pears by the deposit telIer's book. 1
left you in charge of everything, with a
power of attorney to sign my name to
any checks or notes requisite to the sue
cessful transaction of my business.
Such discretionary powers are indicative
of great confidence on my part.
Jones-They are. Have you any
reason to believe that confidence has
ever been misplaced? Is there anything
to indicate dishonesty during your abb
sence?
Brownjohn-Hardly; but there are
indications of bad management eome-
where. How is it hat with $272 ,474, ,12
in bank to the credit OF the firm, you
should turn around and, on the 20th
day OF the same month, borrow from the
State Loan and Trust company the cum
of $75, 900, and pay interest of $1125
thereon for period OF 80 days?.
Jones-Well, was told when little
| how poyar fo rnopkav uith m ~ or,olou.
er's cash. So, rather than touch your
money, / went out and borrowed the
$4,000 and paid interest.
Brownjohn-And still there is another
mystery to be unraveled and that is
why you should pay 80 days. interest on
that amount when you hid $216, ,041. 18
| to the credit of the firm on the 9th day
of September, just 35 days after my de-
| pa,ture.
Jones-Well, you see that the man
who does not borrow some has no stand
ing at the banks. If l had not gone in
and borrowed that money, the banks
would have thought you were doing no
business and the mercantile agencies
would not have given you any sort of
rating.
BrJwnjohn-I care nothing for the
ratings of mercantile agencies, Mr..
Jones. My name is my own rating and
my credit has never been pressed since
the first day had $4,000 to my name,
above my debts. do not deem you
dishonest, Mr.. Jones, but shall have
to dismiss you just the same. You have
made me lose $1125 interest on money
borrowed. for which there was not the
slightest reason or excuse. l have been
trying to get out of the way of honest
fools all my lite. The great Talleyrand
once said that "a blunder is worse than
crime," and he was more than half
right. 1 would as soon be robbed of my
money as to be jobbed out of it. In
word, am always willing to give up my
money when l can get proper equiva-
lent for it. which does not appear to be
the case in the present instance. Mr..
Jones. will bid you good day
The foregoing is purely upposititious
case but it is precisely what would have
happened had it been mercantile firm,
instead Of the county of Los Angeles,
which borrowed that money. There are
no equities in the one case which do not
pertain to the other. We commend q
perusai of this matter to the supervisors
of Los Angeles county, that they may
see what their conduct looks like, hen
viewed from a mercantile standpoint.
There is no government worth perpet-
uating, if it pc not conducted upon strict
business principles; and we cannot
imagine anything more unbusinesslike
than the borrowing of $4,000 at $ll25
interest, when there was money in the
treasury vaults living idle.