Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1899-07-14
Commercial Dishonesty.

Moralists who have studied the paths
chosen by national decline have Of late
years called attention to the disturbed
sense of values which politics and en-
terprise have created. We are so in the
habit of associating moral delinquency
in the community. with violence and
passion. and resting In the conviction
that the police court will hold it in
check. that we have overlooked the
subtle Generalization of the public
conscience in trade and legislation.
Dishonesty is no longer a Captain
Kidd, and even If il were il would not
be half as dangerous as when it is
Talleyrand. 1t both redeems and dis
guises itself with smartness. 1t cannot
take your individual spoons without
running the risk Of a policeman. but it
can take your communal rights and
get diploma for doing it. 1t no longer
sells you wooden nutmegs, but it puts
plated spoons in your package of coffee
and achieves the brilliant feat of MAX
ing you drink chicory in hopes of
prize. The astounding fact has come to
light that man who acts conscien-
tiously and almost piously with regard
to his neighbor will act like a thief
with regard to his party and not know
it. He would die rather than rob the
individual widow or the orphan d.
rectly. but he will NOW down whole
ranks of them legislatively or CONNER
cially and not ruffie a feather of his
conscience Not long ago the London
chamber Of commerce in a sudden
ethical mood opened an inquiry into
the payment Of secret commissions for
corrupt purposes in the course of trade.
The result Of the investigation rather
astounded the conservative old gentle
men who conducted it. They were
amazed at the moral code that govern
ed to a great extent the competitive
commercial men. Enterprising bribery
turned up in all directions wearing
Snug and innocent face. 1t was found
that the druggists paid secret commits
sions to the physicians on their pre-
scriptions, amounting in some cases to
25 or so per cent on the price paid by
the customer. 1t was found that archi-
tects, engineers, contractors and bosses
expected and generally received fee
in some form from builders and invest
ors and workers in addition to their
professional fees. 1t was found that in
the one case of lubricating oils used on
the railroads the trainmen were bribed
to declare that one kind of oil was full
of grit and worthless. 1t was found
that the bishop who represented NOR
ality in an institutional way winked
at dishonesty in a commercial way by
letting his butler receive all sorts of
considerations from the tradesmen
whose goods he let into the bishops
palace. With this astonishing view be-
fore the eye one sees that there is only
one way OUT VI tHe uesS anu III lS nOt
a new way at all, but very old way,
and amounts to nothing more than
re-esta blishment of the ancient sense
of rectitude and fair dealing in every
one of the pursuits of life and which
insists that man shall be just as hen
est In the market place as he is in his
family circle. After all. Emerson put
his finger on the remedy when he said
in effect: Every man takes care that
his brother does not rob him. But there
comes time when he takes care that
he does not rob his brother. Then all
goes well. He has turned his apple cart
into chariot of the sum-.