The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-03-10
Five Gents.
integrity.

lnteSfltys
Our integrity is more precious than gold.
The old miser said to his sons ''Boys, get
money; get it honestly if you can. but get
money!" This advice was not only wicked,
was as much as to say. if you can't get
money honestly. get it dishonesty. We
know by experience that to get money dis
honestly is not only foolish, but that it is
one of the most difficult things in life. The
same energy put forth to get money honest
ly would be far easier. and in the long run
we would find it far better. We know our
prisons are full of men who have followed
the advice of the miser; we know that no
man can be dishonest without being found
out; that when his lack of principle is found
out nearly every avenue of success is closed
against him forever. The public. whether
honest OF dishonest. properly shun all
whose integrity is doubted. No matter how
pleasant and accommodating business
man may be, no one will deal with him if
he suspects "false weights and measures"
Strict honesty not only lies in the fOunda.
ton of success in ife-fnancially-but in
every respect.
UncOmprOmising integrity of character is
invaluable. 1t secures to its pOsSeSsOr
peace and joy which cannot be attained
without it, which no amount of money can
purchase. A man who is known to be
strictly honest may be ever so poor. but he
has the purse of all at his disposal. For all
know if he promises to return what he bor-
rows he will not disappoint them. Take
fhn lnny fhn hioftc
friend-he will readily loan to the one that
is considered square.
If man has no higher motive for being
honest. he will find that the maxim of
Franklin can never fail to be true, that
Honesty is the best policy"
To get rich is not always equivalent to be.
ing successful. There are many rich poor
men, while there are many others. honest and
devOut men and women. who have never
had as much money as some rich people
Squander in week, but who are really
richer and happier than any man can ever
be who is a transgressOr of the higher laws
of his being. The love of money is, no
doubt the root of all evil. but money itself.
when properly used, is handy thing to
have; it affords us the qualification of bless
ing our race by enabling its possessor to
enlarge the scope of human happiness and
human influence. The desire for wealth is
universal, and who can say it is not lauda-
BILE. providing the pOssessOr of it accepts its
responsibilities and uses it as friend to
humanity.
The history of money getting, which is
commerce. is history of civilization. and
where trade has fOurished most, there we
have the most been blessed. In fact. as
general rule. money getters are the bene-
factors of our race. To them. in measure,
we are indebted for our institutions Of
learning. of art. of colleges, and churches.
There are sometimes miSers who hoard
money for the sake of boarding it alone; it
is their god. and they have no higher as
piratiOns than to grasp every penny that
comes within their reach. AS we have
hypOcrites in religion and demagOgues in
politics. so there are misers. These. how
ever. are only exceptions to the rule. To
all men and women l say. make money
honestly and not otherwise and preserve
that gem of all gems, integrity. WAY.