Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1899-02-11


der and the Fly-The Web of Pecu-
lotion, Which Causes the Ruin OF
Many Men.
copyright. 1899. by American Press Asso-
ciation.]
WASHINGTON, Feb. 5.-This, like
many of DR.. Talmage's discourses. rec
omrnends right doing for this world as
we'll as preparation for the heavenly
rid; text, Job viii. ID. "Whose trust
shall be spiders web. : .
The two most skillful architects IN
all the world are the bee and the spider
The one puts up sugar mandatory,
and the other builds slaughter house
for flies. On bright summer morning
when the sun comes out and shines upon
the spiders web, bedecked with dew,
tho gossamer structure seems bright
enough for suspension bridge for
aerial beings to cross on. But alas for
the poor fly which in the latter part OF
that very day ventures on 1t and is
caught and dungeoned and destroyed!
The fly was informed that it was free
bridge and would cost nothing, but at
the other end Of the bridge the toll paid
was it's own life The next day there
comes down a strong wind, and away
20 the web and the marauding spider
and the victimized fly. So delicate are
the silken threads of the spiders web
that many thousands Of them are put
together before they become visible to
the human eye. and it takes 1000
900 of them to make thread rs large
as the human hair. Most cruel as well
az most ingenious is the spider. A pris-
oner in the Bastille, France. had one SO
trained that at the sound of the violin
it every day came for its meal OF flies
The author Of my text. who was lead
ing scientist of his day. had no doubt
watched the voracious process of this
one insect with another and saw spider
and fly swept down with the same
broom OF scattered By the same wind
Alas that the world has so many de-
signing spiders and victirizcd flies
There has not been tinla when the
uttor and black responsibility Of many
men having the financial interests OF
others in charge has been more evident
than in these last few years. The bank
ruptcy Of banks and disappearance of
administrators with tho funds Of large
estates and the diaordered accounts Of
United. States officials have sometimes
made a pestilence of crime that solemn
ICES every thoughtful man and woman
and leads every philanthropist and
Christian. to ask What shall be done to
stay the plague2 There is ever and
anon monsoon of swindle abroad, q
typhoon. sirocco. l sometimes ask
myself If 1t would not be better for
men making wills to bequeath the prop
erty directly to the executors and oth-
GERS Of tine court and appoint the wild
ows and orphans committee to see
that the former got all that did not be-
long to them The simple fact is that
there are largo number Of men sailing
Yachts and driving fast horses and
members Of expensive clubhouses and
controlling country seats who are not
worth dollar if they return to others
their just rights Under some sudden
reverse they fail, and with afflicted air
seem to retire from the world and seem
almost ready for mcnastic life, when in
two or three years they blossom out
again, having compromised with their
creditors is. paid them nothing
but regret. and the only difference be-
tween the second chapter of prosperity
and the first is that their pictures are
Murillos instead Of Kensetts and their
horses go mile in 90 seconds less than
thor predecessors, and instead Of one
country seat they have three. have
watched and have noticed that nine
out of ten of those who fail in what Is
called high life have more means after
than before the failure, and in many OF
the cases failure is only stratagem to
escape the payment of honest debts and
nut the world off the track while they
practice large swindle. There is some
thing woefully wrong in the fact that
these things are possible.
whero tho Responsibility Rests.
First OF all charge the blame on
careless, Indifferent bank directors and
boards having in charge great financial
institutions. 1t ought not to be possible
for q president or cashier or prominent
officer Of banking institution to swim
die it year after year without detection.
I will undertake to say that if these
frauds are carried on for two or three
years without detection either the di-
rectors are partners in the infamy and
pocket part OF the theft or they are
guilty Of culpable neglect of duty, for
which God will hold them as response
BILE as he holds the acknowledged de-
frauders. What right have prominent
business men to allow their names to be
published as directors in financial in
stitution SO that unsophisticated people
are thereby induced to deposit their
money in or buy the scrip thereof
when they, the published directors, are
doing. nothing for the safety of the In
stitution9 1t is case Of deception most
reprehensible. Many people with a
surplus of money, not needed for imme-
date use, although it may be little
further on indispensable, are without
friends competent to advise them, and
they are guided solely by the character
of the men whose names are associated
with the institution. When the crash
came and with the overthrow of the
banks went the small earnings and linn
tied fortunes of widows and orphans
and the helplessly aged. the directors
stood with idiotic stare, and to the In
curry Of the frenzied depositors and
stockholders who had lost their all, and
to the arraignment Of an indignant
public, had nothing to say except: 1--WE
thought it was all right. We did not
know there was anything wrong going
on. It was their duty to know. The
stood in position which deluded the