The National tribune., 1897-08-19
Is THERE HONESTY IN BUSINESS
A Question That May Lead to Educational
Reform.

Is THERE HONESTY In BuSiNESo (!
Question That May Lead to Educational
Reform.
The story is told that Gen. Grant, while
serving as President of the United States. was
writing 9 message to Congress. when the card
of visitor was brought in. An officer on duty,
knowing that he did not wish 10 be disturbed,
and seeing a servant approaching with the card,
said
Say that the President is not in"
Gen. Grant was not so preoccupied but that
he heard the remark. aud turning around
sharply said to the servant:
Tell him no such thing. i don't lie my
self, and don't want an one to lie for me-"
This is q very high moral standard and one
TO which but few men attain not only IN busl-
ness, but in official life. 1t has come TO be a
matter of course that men under certain cir
cumstances are not expected to adhere to the
exact truth, and yet in Holy Writ lying
is classed with what we call great crimes.
The Lord hateth lying tongue" said the
wisest of men, and again and again are we en-
Joined TO trust not in lying words. The early
Christians laid great stress upon truth-telllng
We all recall how Ananias and Sapphira were
struck dead for lying, and OF the Remuneration
of those who wanted 10 buy the Holy Spirit Tor
gain-what is now called joining the church
to advance ones business interests. Through
out the entire Scriptures from the first utter
ances of Mosaic law TO the last classification by
the divine John of the virtues and vices, lying
and theft are classed with murder and all pol
buttons of the flesh.
A wise philosopher says that no matter
nnder what part of the heavens they may
dwell men are controlled by four or five pas
sions always the same, which never vary in
their character no matter how they may differ
in their expression.
One of these is the passion for gain, and to
achieve this man will sometimes sacrifice
everything that is high and worthy and
noble. He will fatten on dishonesty aud gid
il with lies.
very distinguished American. who for
many years represented great Western State
in the United States Senate, once said that the
moral law had no place in American politics;
and when we consider the practices to which
men resort TO get office, the trickery, the
perfdy. the violation of pledges, the reliance
upon venal and corrupt methods, one is quite
ready to believe that it is Mschiavelli with lis
maxim, The end justifies the means" rather
than Christ with his admonition, +" Do not evil
that good may come" who rules the hearts and
conseienees of our oficehoiders from the great
est to the smallest.
The crimes peTpetrated upon the American
people through the world of business are OF the
same class. Adulteraied foods and drinks, shod-
dy goods and watered stocks are eating the SUBJ
stance ont Of the American people and have
required legislation through Boards aud Com
missions IN every State in the Union.
This subject, dishonesty in business life, is
commanding the attention of our great educa-
tors, and the question has arisen whether we
have not gone too far in secuariZing our pub
lie schools; whether in examining the heads of
our children with knowledge, we have not
been wofuily negligent in filling their hearts
with vitaliZing moral food.
Now that home education is almost wholly
neglected, and mothers have turned over to
Sunday school teachers the business of instruct
ing their children in morals. often the only
trimming they get is the hour spent in the
Sundsy.scbool room divided between singing
SONGS that they never learn and rehearsal of
abstract passages of Scripture of which they
have no comprehension.
Sound moral judgment is the basic rock of
human character, aud upon this rock Gen.
Grant was well grounded. To be honest man
must first be- truthful; to deal honestly in
business he must be well rooted in the Golden
Rule. Moral teaching should form a large part
ofthe education IL our public schools. 1t should
not be what religion wants but what God
wants: Purity of body. because a sound mind
awells alone in sound body; purity of
mind, because pure spirit is never associ-
Hted with an imnure mind; purity of spirit,
because tine higher we rise in the higher life
the more shall understand that the one
great object in human living is the develop
meut, througasuccessirc stages, from the lower
animal form Of lie 10 the higher order of
beings co ordinate with tue divine.
The ranks of our business men are largely
recruited from our grammar schools and the
moral standard OF cur boys III these schools
will be a very good test of what will he the
moral standard of the men into whom they are
10 develop. The dishonest and lying boy will
be the dishonest and lying man, aud no num-
Der of sudden conversions can save him from
himself
prominent educator has been to much pains
10 collect data from the schools OF the United
States relating to instruction in morals and
behavior, and quotes Comm issioner Harris Of
the National Bureau OF Education, as authority
for the statement that but one State east of the
Eississippi-South Caiolina-makes instruc-
tion in morals obligatory. Only Vermont,
Massachusetts Maryland, and Indiana require
instruction IN good behavior. Maine requires
her school teachers 10 instruct their pupils for
10 minutes each week on the duty OF kindness
10 birds and dumb animals. Everythin is left
10 the teacher in most schools, aud where these
teachers are well selected their influence is in
the right direction. Bnt here again the itaeiul
influence Of politics comes in and the teacher
is too often one who has no higher idea of
salary-earning than 10 keep order and listen
10 rehearsal Of the studies IN a prescribed
course.
From great number OF replies from teachers.
concerning the truthfulness of pupils under
their charge, the following are quoted.
Three teachers from Massachusetts unite in
saying: About two-thiids OF the bows can be
absolutely trusted" A teacher in a Connect
cut High School says: Nine Of the II bows of
my class would, i think. be perfectly honor
Ebie." The President Of an Eastern Academy
Says: % the boys ] have known in my schools
from one-hfth to one-third are fairly trust
worthy. a country school-ieacber OF - years
experience says: Five per cent, think, is 8
large estimate 10 make OF those who would
stick 10 the naked truth when closely cornerod
OF when lie will help them out"
he consensus of opinion is that the percent
age Of the girls who lie outright is smaller than
that oil the boys although petty deceit is NOR,
common among the giils; also, that the middle
social class furnish the most honest pupils
which is plain enough, as il is I he middle class
neither the very rich nor the very poor, thai
mothers train their children in sound morals
SO much for the schools. Aud now for ia.
larger school of business life. banker saws
Tested by the number of men who. wher
they were secure from detection would restor,
money paid them by mistake, think Is pel
cent. is a higb estimate OF The number OF honest
and truthful men," A railroad man SAYS
Ninety per cent. of the men habtaally chea
the corporation and esteem the cheating clever
ness" manufacturer says: Not more thar
10 per cent. OF the men with whom deal il
the world can be trusted when pecuniary in
terests are at stake" A druggist says: 'Whel
II ID matter of competition have not foons
70 per cent. of business men whose word Cal
De relied upon" dealer in groceries says