The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-10-05
BANKER SOUNDS
NOTE OF ALARM.
PresidentSimmOns Of the Fourth
National Of New York
Delivers an Address Before the
Maryland Association.
HIS TEXT is GRAFT.
Says Future of the Country is
Seriously Threatened
By Those Who Rob With the
Air Of a Saint.
HIS TEXT is GRAFT.

Annapolis. Md. Oct. 5.-Dishonesty
Ga high places i'm the state, the judi
ciary and great financial institutions
and corporations, and palliation of
such acts by the masses gravely
threaten the future of the country,
according to views expressed today by
j. Edward Simmons, president of the
Fourth National bank of New York,
in an address before the Maryland
Bankers association. He pointed to
the lessons taught by the fall of the
ancient Roman republic, the reign of
terror in France, and the disasters
which befeI Russian arms in the re-
cent conflict in the far east, all of
which he said were due to palliated
dishonesty.
IT hear voices from the east and
voices from the west" he said, "aH
beaing voices-voices from the pulpit
and the divine, voices from the coll
lege and the educator, voices from the
bench and the bar. voices from the
press and its sages, the voice of the
president himself, denouncing in ring
ing tones and deploring the universal
spread of seldshness in it's meanest
and most exclusive forn-the form of
dishonesty. They bewail one uni
versal carnival of dishonesty. Alas,
the voices are not uncOnhrmed.'
DepIOres Conditions.
He deplored the conditions which
have led men to tolerate the terms
graft and ''grafters," and said he
feared the very use of the Words was
an indication of mems tolerance OF
thief and his trade. He called upon
the members of the association to give
their assistance in remedylng a con-
ditiOn which makes it possible for
men who pose as the salt of the earth
those who steal fifty dollars or forge
q check for a hundred dollars, or ac-
Cept bride, who themselves make
millions by lying, Misrepresentation
by fraud and by bribery without re-
ceiving punishment or even criticism,
while the man who steals the paltry
sum is sent to jail."' He de Ounced
the man of stainless private life who
s'in the interest of cOrpOratfO4 $, of the
trusts. of the gas company, of the
railroad company, of the insurance
company, has recourse to every VIII
lainy damned in the decalOgue-who
does the deed of a highwaymen with
the air of a saint"
The Socialist Movement.
Blr. Simmons said that the workings
and dangers of great corporations and
nfuttinilliOnaiIe enterprises have not
been and are not as fully understood
as their advantages. He believed that
their dark side has been investigated
and set out as lucidiy and forcibly as
their bright side He referred to the
growth of the socialist movement as
shown by the last presidential cleo
tions as due largely to the fact that
the masses see large fortunes accumu-
lated by dishonest means and when so
accumulated combined to smother il-
dfviduaI enterprise. He believed, how
ever. that the situation was without
hope, as the very fact that the country
has ava kened to the condition and
that fearless and able men are organ
izing and leading campaign against
dishonesty are grounds for hope that
a far reaching process has already be-
gun. MI Simmons discussed the tar
if, scoring severely those who de-
bauch the legislator to enact laws
crushing their competitors in business
or to exact tribute from their fellow
citizen under the name of duty
Il recognize readily said Mr.. Sim
mons, *that vast blessings which UNI
ion or consolidation for business Dur
poses if properly guarded and honestly
conducted may bring upon the nation
We must not forget however, that all
fruits are monopolists in tendency and
that almost every industrial CONSOLE
dalton that has been formed has had
for its object the curtailment Of COM
petition; and every thoughtful man
knows that the more you curtau COM
petition, the nearer you approach mon
opoly; and when no competition exists,
then monopoly prevails.
AS to Tariffs.
Under such circumstances it may
be unjustifiable to make a tariff pro-
fect an industry but L hold that no
tariff is justified that has not for its
sole aim the advantage or the neces-
stiles of our country in its entirety.
The man who imposes a duty, or
leads another with or without a bride
to impose a duty in order to fill his
pockets, is dishonest and all the more
banefu1 is his dishonesty because he
extracts his plumber without danger
to himself, from the pockets of those
who can not resist. He does the deed
of a highwayman with air of a saint
and poses before his fellow citizens
rounds his head with a self-created
halo
In conclusion Mr.. Simmons said:
while the situation that eonfronts
us is undoubtedly serious we can not
meet it by adopting pessimistic views.
We certainly should not exaggerate
the evils that exist to the point of dis
courag cement but we should recognize
their existence and should not under
rate their magnitude, comforting our
selves with the thought that gradual
amelIoratiOn must come as it always
has come through persistent and intel
figent effort. The fact that the cOun-
try has awakened to the prevailing
conditions and that fearless and able
men are organizing and leading cam
paign against them are grounds for
hope that fcr reaching remedial
process has already begun"
GOV. WRIGHT COMING HOME.