Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-07-15
BREACHES OF TRUSTS.

L
certain participation in public al
fairs is a good citizens duty. provided
the pal ticipatlon is undertaken from
sense Of obligation to the State or
government. and TO the public, or peo-
ple,-or even IL only in consideration
of his own rights and interests, with
out Invasion of the rights or interests
of others or of the government
But when man enters on public af-
fairs for his own ACKNOWLEDGMENT. or
advancement. without due regard to
the rights and interests of others, or to
their injury; or when he takes up pub
lie affairs as the representative of
special interests Gas of q corporation.
or class, in derogation of general in
terests. he is false and treacherous to
his highest bonds as a citizen.
If one as an officer. member or agent
OF Il CORPORATION so contrives to win
popular confidence that the people en-
trust him with their interests and a
public Office to subserve and guard
these Interests. it is n bas breach of
s''''S az hiiii, IL lc StSIlliCt, OF even
neglect. the public interests confided to
him, and pervert his trust TO the bene-
fit of his corporation, or company, or
his own personal benefit. public of
flee is n public trust, and he who pros
titutes it to any other than the public
good, to the best of knowledge and
ability. is on par with the common
pirlk 1,ou l.
swindler who obtains money, or other
things of value. by false pretenses, or
representations.
These are plain truths. Yet how
many respected and respectable persons
knowingly do these things and eagerly
seek the opportunity to do them; and.
worst of all, they are known to do
them. without affecting Of not better
ing) either their public or private
standing; nay. not even in the church
itself-some of the greatest scoundrels
out of prison, but we'll known In poll
tics. being prominent and equally we'll
known in religious bodies and trans
actions. This. too is n plain truth, as
lamcntable as it may be in itself and
age and community.
While all of us are SO anXiously dis
putting about standard and basis of
value. it would be h wonder that we
do not go to the root of the matter (the
root of all GOOD IL 1t were not that
the love of money (the root OF all eviD
so penetra ties, Families and fills our
hearts and heads. We all admit. in
deed that honesty lin others) is the
best policy, for we are obliged. in the
very nature Of things. to put so much
trust in so many persons-a fact which
constitutes the enormity OF n head of
trust and which reveals 1t to us, as
1t ought, also, to make us all more
honest in self-defence, if il does not.
1t also Eliminates the truth as the
real core of right and honesty, and the
root of all good,-as it equally reveals
that the dishonesty that nourishes the
root of all evil inspires the lying that
brought Ananias and Sapphire to sud
den and final account.
What are we going to do about it ?
Keep on being rogues and liars our
selves and insisting on every safe
guard of honesty and truth in others
always except their lying and stealing
and put money In our purse when we
complaccntly wink at them, as "in the
way of business? Why erect a stand
ard OF value or worry about what 1t
shall be. when we have no standard OF
truth and honesty. and all value is
openly exposed TO all lying. stealing
and the whole ravening brood of dis
honesty that love money with the
maddening passion Of kleDtomaniacai
excess and demoniacal possession? Yet
tho chief end of all human desire and
effort is to intensity and innamc the
money mania as q holy mono mania