The sun., 1904-05-22

In any business who defaults. The one
who 10 suspected is never put In position
where he can steal.
At nearly all the banks In this city the
head employees are under heavy bonds,
but for long time there was one exception,
the president OF the bank declaring when
the matter was brought to his attention,
oh, all these men have been here for years
and are Perfectly Trustworthy It was
from that very bank however, that the
cashier stole something moro than half a
million dollars, his peculations covering
several years"
The application paper referred to would
undoubtedly be staggerer to any man not
blessed with an absolutely spotlees reputa-
tion. Besides containing thirty-six ques-
tions which probe his past and present
to the very bottom, 1t must be filed in with
the names Of Ave responsible persons, not
relatives, for references.
There are blank spaces to be filed with a
personal description Of the applicant-the
color Of eyes, hair. mustache. beard. and
any marks or birthmarks which may he on
his body. Evidently the bonding COM
panies are taking no more chances than
need be and are In favor OF the motto BE
lieve every man q rogue till you find him
out an honest man.
At the Guarantee Company Of North
America, the oldest and largest purely
guarantee company In this country, the
superintendent of the investigating depart
merit 10 Of the opinion that In tho aggregate
the percentage Of honesty Is as large as 1t
ever was. In this company the proportion
OF Losses has decreased somewhat in the
last ton years in lines Of business not in
touch with the speculative market; but, on
the other hand, in those which are infiuenoed
by the speculative market the losses have
increased.
AS most people know he said, .the
speoulating and gambling fever has been
steadily on the increase in the same length
OF time, particularly In the last FIVE years.
We find dishonesty more frequent In
tho lower than In the higher walks Of life
Tho percentage Of Losses. 10 far as numberl
90, 10 very high among employees holding
positions below the financial Offices, For
instance, for the last three years there have
been about $50 losses year paid on de-
faults Of $500 and under, as against 20 losses
on amounts Of over $500.
-Of course the twenty represent by fal
the greater sum Of money. but then that Il
not the point at issue. In my opinion the
two special causes for this dishonesty are
whiskey and gambling. especially race.
track gambling; and 90 per cent. OF the
blame, 80 far as the lower classes are con.
oerned lay to whiskey.
MANY times, however. the fact that a
man h under bond has a deterrent effect
on the drink habit. for occasionally in the
case OF drivers who we have learned are
In tho habit Of drinking more than IL good
for them. we insist that they shall sign the
pledge and that their priest shall 20 on
the bond. Every one can't be asked 10
sign The pledge, though.
1T II the passion for liquor that causes
many a man to appropriate money not
belonging to him and not any desire to be
dishonest. He means to put the money
back before he is found out and Of course
| never does.
Il have found men. though. who after
! ward tried to pay back the amount OF the
bond, two or three dollars at a time.
Such mon are not really dishonest in my
opinion.
wipe out the liquor traffic completely
and the Losses big and little in the bonding
business would be tremendously decreased
A. il IL. one sure indication that losses are
decreasing Is that rates have gone down
In the last ten years-a circumstance not
altogether due to competition