The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-01-04
VALUE OF GOOD NAME.
baltimore Sun.I

Baltimore SUM-
People do not always recognize that
besides those who have good or a
bad name, respectively, there are a
great many who have, SO to speak, no
name at all. Good names and bad
names are acquired, and very many
people do nothing to distinguish
themselves as good or bad. A bad
name may be acquired very quickly
and sometimes undeservedly, but a
good name is only earned by long
years of upright conduct. 1t is this in
part which gives it value, for in gain
ing it habits are established which
help to preserve it. A good name is
reckoned as Of value chiefly because it
promotes the business interests Of its
possessor. The man who has good
name is accorded credit according to
his known means, and can borrow
without collateral. AS the saying
goes, his word is as good as his bond.
But he enjoys other advantages. He
is respected and trusted, his word is
accepted as truth. 1t is far different
with the man of bad name. He has
no credit. Men do not care to deal
with him, even when he offers his bond
and collateral security. They are
afraid of some trick whereby they may
be cheated. He is neither respected
nor trusted, and his word is always
doubted. Between these two classes
there is third, the members of which
are without name. They are neither
trusted, like those who have a good
name, nor distrusted, like those who
have bad name. They may get
credit if they give security they may
be believed if their story is supported
by evidence, or is not improbable
but they enjoy no such advantages as
the trusted man with good name.
Many of the members of this interme-
diary class in a transitional stage.
They are establishing, but have not
established, reputation. If they
should prove through long years to be
trustworthy and honest, they will be
rewarded with a good name; if they
should discredit themselves by dis
honestly or lying they will acquire a
bad name. The man who knows
himself to the trustworthy, but has not
yet established reputation, sometimes
chafes under the cold distrust of the
world, which has not yet taken his
measure but it is useless to fret about
it. The good name cannot be forced ;
it is developed by natural processes.
Apart from moral considerations,
which would lead to such conduct as
insures good name, the young man
who desires to attain success should
guard his reputation jealousy and
seek to lift himself out of the class
without a name to the one above 1t.
He can do this only in one way, and
that is by being scrupulously exact,
honest and truthful. He should also
guard against carelessness and neglect
of engagements, obligations or duties,
for the world measures man in
various ways, and if it finds him tardy
in fulfilling engagements and careless
in the performance of duties, it will
suspect that he may carry these bad
habits into his business dealings. 1t
is not enough, therefore, to be honest
in business affairs. One must be honest
in all things, great and small-scru-
pulously exact, punctual in meeting
engagements, considerate of other
people. 1t is the men who observe all
these duties who slowly build up for
themselves good name, leaving
behind them some who may be
equally honest so far as the mere
payment of debts is concerned. The
man who worthily enjoys a good name
does not stand upon the letter of his
bond, like Shylock he is just man
and pays a debt just as cheerfully, if
only equity requires its payment, as he
would pay one that could be collected
by law. Extending the range of
obligations beyond those in which
money is concerned, it may be said
that the man of good name is one
who respects equity as we'll as law,
while the man of doubtful reputation
or no name is one whose honesty is
felt to be dependant upon the legal
hold one may have upon him. A
good name cannot be bought in the
market place-it must be earned, and
when it has been acquired it becomes,
as Cassie says, the immortal part of
ones self.