The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-02-13

fury in this country. since tue buhoeA Va
newspapers and the facilities for collect
ing statistics have been multiplied. This
may give an impression that there are
more dishonest clerks than in former
years, when. in proportion to the popula-
ton, the reverse may be true. Again, the
amount of money handled by single per-
sons is greater now than at any former
time, and temptation is, therefore, IN
creased: life is richer and fuller. and more
stimulating and unbalancing to the nerves
of weak and unprincipled men. All these
things have something to do with the
case. On the other hand, the system OF
checking and counter-checking is much
more complicated now than ever before,
so that defalcations are doubtless pre-
vented now when they might have taken
place had money been less carefully
guarded. 1t would be scarcely possible 10
formulate any statement OF conditions
which would inform us definitely whether
the honesty of mankind is losing or gam
ing ground.
There are two or three broad principles
however, which are more important than
any statistics in considering this problem
Of the safety of the public wealth. There
is no sort of doubt that in business IN
which the employer sails as near as pos
sible TO the line of dishonest dealing. the
moral fibre of the average employe is SO
weakened that he is liable to become dis
honest at the first good opportunity When
clerks know that the man for whom they
work is selling adulterated goods. publish
ing lying advertisements. anu pretehu'hs
to hold principles which he does not carry
into his daily life, they are forced into one
of two attitudes. Either they are entireF
lacking in respect for him. and insensioiy
drift into the feeling that 1t is not as
honest to cheat a thief, or (Which Is even
more dangerous) they come to admire MS
keenness and wish to initiate him. In lhe
latter case they are less likely TO come 10
grief personally but they have a bad IN
fluence on the community at large, since
the whole establishment of merchant OF
other business man, under these cohdi
lions. is a sort of complication and renne-
ment of Fagin's celebrated institution. The
man who is not careful to be honest IN MS
own dealings need not be surprised II some
of his employees cheat him. He has MIN
self to thank for it.
Another element in modern life which Is
full of danger is the tendency to extrava-
CANT living and risky speculation wnich
NAV be seen almost anywhere. We need
more simple. honest. unpretentious homes
and less social machinery. Women are
largely responsible for the home, anu IN
this way they can, II they choose erect
!, tremendous change for the better in our
modern civilization. They can treat home
making as a high art and not as 4 means
CT what we call getting on in the world
Women (some of them, at leastl are natu-
raj artists, doing their work rather for the
the love of it than for reward. Centuries
of domestic life have bred this In thenl'
and IL they would all make up their minus
10 give to the making of a home all the
careful thought and observation and study
that they would give to the painting OF
picture: II they would study that most
important art OF fitting the life to its
necessary surroundings, of making 1t sim
lie. sincere, and. therefore, beautiful ana
helpful. we should not have so many reck-
less men using UP their health anu
strength in the effort to earn a handsome
income. There is nothing more vulgar,
more absurd. or more unnecessary than the
! frantic race to keep up appearances.
which too many people indulge In. whether
they belong to the ranks of the rich or
! the poor. Here in America we need to
learn. once for ALL the lesson that nobody
has any right to appearances without the
reality. any more than sensible person
will wear an expensive outer garment TO
cover suit of rags.