Connecticut western news., 1899-02-09
AN ABUSE OF TRUSTS.
.5R. rALMAGE BREACHES AGAINST DlS-
 HONEST TRANSACTIONS.
Timely Lessons Drawn From the Spf- der and the FIy-The Web of Pecu- latton, Which Causes the Ruin of Many Men.

der and the FIy-The Web of Pecu-
 lation, Which Causes the Ruin of
 Many Men.
 [Copyright, 1S,s by American Press Asso-
 ciationl
 WASHINGTON, Feb 5.-This, like many of Dr. Talmage's discourses, rec ommends right doing for this world as well as preparation for the heavenly world; text, Job viii, IA, Whose trust shall be a spiders web. 7
 The two most skillful architects in all the world are the bee and the spider. The one puts up sugar manufactory, and the other builds slaughter house for flies. On a bright summer morning when the sun comes out and shines upon the spiders web, bedecked with dew, the 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 its 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 4,OOO,- 900 of them to make thread as large as the human hair. Most cruel as well as 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 it's 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 or scattered by the same wind. Alas that the world has so many de- signing spiders and victimized fiiesl
 There has not been a time when the utter and black kirresponsibility 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 the funds of large estates and the disordered accounts of United States officials have sometimes made pestilence of crime that solemn izes every thoughtful man and woman and leads every philanthropist and Christian to ask, What shall be done to stay the plaguef There is ever and anon a monsoon of swindle abroad. typhoon. a sirocco. I sometimes ask myself if it would not be better for men making wills to bequeath the prop erty directly to the executors and off cers of the court and appoint the wid- 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 a large 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 monastic life, when in two or three years they blossom out again, having compromised with their creditors-that 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 their predecessors, and instead of one country seat they have three. l have watched and have noticed that nine
 ~A ~c fs~. .. 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 put the world off the track while they practice large swindle There is some thing woefully wrong in the fact that these things are possible.
 Where the Responsibility Rests.
 First of all, charge the blame on careless, indifferent bank directors and boards having in charge great financial institutions. It ought not to be possible for president or cashier or prominent officer of banking institution to swim de it year after year without detection. Twill 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 responsi- ble as he holds the acknowledged de- flanders. What right have prominent business men to allow their names to be published as directors in a 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 stitutionS It is case of deception most reprehensible. Many people with a surplus of money, not needed for imme- diate 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 ited fortunes of widows and orphans and the helplessly aged, the directors stood with idiotic stare, and to the in- quiry of the frenzied depositors and stockholders who had lost their all and to the aIraignment of an indignant public, had nothing to say except: "We thought it was sA right. We did not know there was anything wrong going on." It was their duty to know. They stood in 8 position which deluded the people with the idea that they were carefully obseryant. Calling themselves directors, they did not direct. They had opportunity of auditing accounts and inspecting the books No time to do sos Then they had no business to accept the position. It seems to be the pride of some moneyed men to be di- ectors in great many institutions, and all they know is whether or not they get their dividends regularly. and their