Albuquerque evening citizen. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1905-1907, 1905-09-06
GRAFT Is

Former Consul Frankenthal, who represented the
United States in Berne for many years, has made a study
of the class of immigrants who are pouring into America.
He asserts that 20 per cent of them have police records
which render them undesirable.
Mr.. Frankenthal has evolved a method of barring
this criminal element He would demand Of each immi'
grant a certificate of character from the authorities OF
his native town. In reply to the question whether sucn
certificates could not be obtained fraudulently, the consul
said There is no graft in Europe
On this the New York World remarks, as willie nine
tenths of those who read it for the first ~time-"Astound-
ing assertion
Yet. as the World asserts, those who have lived long
est over there are as one in certifying to its truth. There
are two reasons for the absence of graft. officials are
in most cases appointed or elected for life, and are thus
removed from political influence or the fear of it. And
the secret service system which enables the police to
produce at a moments notice the record of any man or
woman, complete to the most minute details, makes cor,
ruption so dangerous that only the most daring s%coundreI
would fall under the temptation.
New England, speaking through its recognized
mouthpieces. the Springfield Republican and the Boston
Transcript, is justly proud of the fact that Colonel Jacob
l.. Greene. for twenty-five years president of the Connec-
ticut Mutual Life Insurance company, with $65OOO,e0O oil
assets. died leaving an estate of only $55'ooV.
Commenting on this, Harper's Weekly says that such
an example. Indicative of highest prObity. is surely wor-
thy of particular mention at this particular time; and
that paper wonders how much environment mad TO 90
with it-whether Colonel Greene in New York would
have felt any sense of wrong in participating to a smah
degree in undertakings, or whether Mr.. Alexander IN
Hartford would have even thought Of doing such a thing?
The Weekly then adds: THE simple fact is that the
standard is higher in New England than in New York. II
is bad form. in Springfield particularly, to do things
which would be regarded as mere evidences of creditable
smartness in this wicked town, and even-with apologies
to the Transcript-in Boston. The bigness of a commu-
nifty, rendering inconsequential social disapproval ana
swelling the dont-give-a-damn-whatthe-people-think SPIT
it. has a most depressing effect upon the ethics Of human
living"
No doubt environment has much to do in developing
character. that and heredity being the dominating intlu-
ences. but both submissive to the imperial authority o.
the will. When. however, the Weekly undertakes 10
make environment responsible for the honesty Of a
Greene in Massachusetts and the dishonesty Of the Alex
anders and Hydes and Depews in New hork. II passes
the bounds alike of probability and propriety; else all
men should be honest in Massachusetts and all be thieves
in New York. and personal responsibility have noNeX
itence. No doubt environment supplied opportunity for
dishonesty and made its rewards appear more attractlVe;
but it could not have prevailed had moral stamina not
been lacking. 1t is but a poor student of humanity, VINO
for a moment could imagine that Col. Jacob L. Greene
would not have been as honest in New York as ne was
in Hartford, and it certainly is a vicious school of morals
which teaches to the contrary.