Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1905-12-14
IT DOESN'T PAY.

pay. luOuRu VIZ "'Sn0"
high places have for years been -four
ish ng as green bay tree, the inevi-
table result has overtaken them and
the riches they accumulated cannot
compensate them for the disgrace
that now overshadows them as thick
cloud.
The insurance grafters are striking
illustrations of the fact that dishones-
ty doesn't pay. For time 1t seemed
as if they were really to be envied by
all men. Enormous salaries were
theirs and opportunities to vastly In
crease their riches were at hand.
Temptation to acquire more mon
ey by questionable means overcame
them, and they began to deal crook
eddy. Easy money led to wild ex-
travagance and begot scandal. James
Hyde, of fhe Equitable Company,
gave a $4,000 dinner party and
charged it to the company. This led
to talk that could not be quoted, and
from cloud no larger than a mans
hand arose a storm of indignation
that has swept the mighty from their
places in disgrace and contumely.
One by one the big insurance COM
panies have been Investigated, and
one after another their officers have
been held up to public condemnation
Hyde, Alexander, the McCurdys, the
McCalls and other active officers who
used their positions for graft have
been exposed, forced to make restitu-
ton, aud, broken in health and spirit
by the fearful rapidity Of their fall
and the overwhelming shame that
has come upon them, are retiring to
private life because they no longer
can hold any place and force OF public
scorn. Even so popular man as
Senator Chauncey Depew finds him
self held up in derision because he,
too, was among the common grafters
while posing as a model citizen, and
he would doubtless be glad to sur
render his ill-gotten gains If by 80
doing he could secure once more his
former place in the public regard.
George W. Perkins, OF the powerful
firm of J. P. Morgan & Co., is another
CRATER from the Equitable who has
been disgraced by greed and graft.
A pitiable example is that Of Sena-
tor Mitchell, Of Oregon. He used his
position as United States Senator to
enrich himself by questionable means,
and in his greed over-stepped the law
as he had disregarded the properties
Retribution overlook him, and last
week he died, a wretched and dis
graced man, with penitentlary SEN
tence hanging over him, and went to
his grave in utter shame Senator Bur-
ton, of Kansas, is also ruined and humi-
lated. for he stands in the very shad'
ow of the penitentlary as his portion Of
graft and misuse of public office.
Even in political affairs the graft
ers have been called to a sudden halt.
In Philadelphia the gang that for years
have waxed fat by plundering the
city have been shorn of their infu-
ence by the vote Of the people, and
the most prominent of them are IN
der indictment and 10 danger of los
ing their ill-gotten wealth as they
have already lost every shred of rep
utation. Indeed, the whole State Of
Pennsylvania has declared war on its
corrupt politicians. Ohio did the
same thing last month, and the senti-
ment is growing throughout the coun'
try.
1t is not only a source of satisfac-
ton that justice has overtaken these
gratters who secretly robbed those
who trusted them or boldly and de-
family piled their policy Of loot, but
there are more significant lessons. 1t
has been proven that dishonesty does
not pay, even in high places; that
graft brings inevitable disgrace; that
crookedness in politics after all gives
no satisfaction. 1t is,also shown
and it is a most healthy sign-that
no man and no party can be so firmly
entrenched that the people cannot
easily rout them. The public con-
science is right and the law is sound
and will reach its violators sooner or
later.
Somehow we feel that the high-wa-
ter mark of graft has been reached in
this country.
State of Ohio, City OF Toledo, IS.
Lucas County. 90.
Frank J. Cheney makes oath that he
is senior partner of the firm of F. j.
~ IL.