The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1895-11-13
Public and Private Rascals.
Is the present period of peculiar dis

Is the present period of peculiar dis
honesty?
This question comes up in the light of
the numerous reports of embezzlements
and populations by trusted financial
agents and of the extraordinary corrup-
tion and particularly those of city gov
ernments.
A. r. Barrett, an ex-government bank
examiner, in the October number of the
Arena magazine, answers this interroga-
tory in the affirmative. He declares that
statistics show that during the past ten
years bank wreckers, embezzlers and
defaulters have robbed tho people of this
country of over 100000, 900, an average
of over $40, 100000 per annum and this
state of things has been growing worse
the past two years, for the year ls92
shows robberies by the above mentioned
methods of about S9,OOOOOO. while 1893
shows about $4,000, COO, 1894 about $685.
GOO 900, and 1895 shows over $4,000, 0OO to
July 1st.
In considering the problem of the in
crease of this sort of crime, it must be
understood that there are in private busi-
ness more trusted agents, while the trust
funds are vastly more numerous and IN
much greater volume than were known
in any previous age Of the world. The
development of COIN merce and Industries
of all sorts is on scale of extraordinary
magnitude, 80 that the owners or stock
holders cannot possibly conduct, or even
supervise, their business in many cases,
but must trust all to agents and assls-
tants.
AS result, there are many more Of
such custodians of other peoples money
than would have been possible when
business was not done in such colossal
style. And so, too, there is larger de-
mand for honesty to administer these
trusts than was ever before possible.
Nevertheless, opportunities make temp
tations.
This is peculiarly an age of luxury and
extravaganza. The accumulation of great
wealth through processes of speculation
has created habits of extravagant expen-
diture and unrestrained indulgence that
have exerted most evil effects upon men
who have not the means to engage in
such style of living. The temptations
difficult to resist when mans inclina-
tions are toward luxurious living, and he
ends by stealing for his indulgences.
But there is another class carried away
by the hope that they can also acquire
fortunes by speculation, and so they make
the first venture with their own money.
That is soon lost, and then the trust funds
in their hands are drawn on. Not one in
million of these desperate gam blers ever
enjoy any success. He conceals his en-
bezzlements by all the ingenious devices
in his reach, while he continues to null
tiply his guilt in the hope of one day
making q great strike, which will not
only enable him to pay back the amount
of his robberies, but to enrich himself be-
sides. But all his dishonest ventures end
in failure and exposure, disgrace, and
most probably the States prison closes
his career.
But when a man goes actively into pol.
itics he is at once assailed by demands
for money. The rascals and loafers who
live by politics at once pounce upon the
new man and assure him that their sup
port and influence are necessary to his
success. If he can resist these attacks, he
soon finds that he Is assessed heavily for
campaign funds and other political ex-
penses, and he is made to understand
that he must come into subiection to the
managers of the "ring" or "machine'
that controls affairs. Any failure to COM
powerful opposition that he can make no
head against it, but becomes the victim
of persecution and hostility of every ring
politician, from the highest to the lowest.
The official criminal in many cases
doubtless deserves pity; but, above all,
he ought to be punished. 1t Is easier to
rob the public than it is to cheat private
employers. Then the public official ought
especially to be an honest man, and, when
be fails in his duty, let him pay the PEN
alty.-Nev Orleans Picayune.