The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-06-28
A STRONG SPEECH
AGAINST GRAFT
THE EVIL rs CAUSED BY FALSE
Il. STANDARDS OF BUSINESS &
POWER AND SOCIAL
PROMINENCE. VA

1T; PROMINENCE.
5oBERLlN, Ohio, Juno 2S.--James
B. Dill, a corporation lawyer of New
York, in the course Of a noteworthy
address to the graduating class Of
Oberlln College today, delivered n
scathing rebuke to men who misuse
positions of honor and trust for pur.
poses of personal gain. In urging Ills
hearers to so black to beginnings
Mr.. Dill contended that grating,
which was foreign TO the true Ameri.
can character! had been developed by
our mad rush for wealth and the rec.
oGnition of false standards by edu.
Gated men in the competitive struggle
for: business power and social proml.
nence.
Without mentioning names, Mr..
Dill referred TO the connection Of
responsible financial institutions with
industrial promotions that are calcu.
lated to misead the public.
He said: Fl, im5 !
a large part Of our modern pros.
I'perity is to perllously large extent,
bottomed upon an overproduction Of
fraud and sham. The crisis Is acute.
A feeling of distrust Is growing
throughout the country. Many
Ii #
l.branches OF financial business have
been In one way or, another taken.
possession of by the Inscriptions for
the purpose Of deceiving the unwary.
Trust companies have been made the
mediums of the notatlon OF specious
and fraudulent promotions. II
Some companies in the field Of life
insurance, tho highest and in sense
a sacred form of Investment, are, as
we all know now, conduits through
which the savings Of the policy hold.
ers are diverted into operations for
speculative purposes i.3.
Credit and good faith, not money,
are the basis OF business. Good or
bad, our modern prosperity Is found.
ed on public confidence. Take that
away and The whole fabric falls. &
THE fact Is that the unprecedented
material growth OF the country, the
resulting creation, of immense private
fortunes, The massing Of great, aggre.
cations ,of, corporate capital. Industrial
4 combinations and railroad mergers,
all have tended to concentrate the at.
4 teu1ion OF the people upon great flnan.
cial achievements and to establish In
the highest placetln the popular esti.
jmaton the captains Of industry and
the powerful flnanc1ers, little regard
being paid, in making up the judg-
ment, to the fundamental virtues Of
private individual llfe.r
Continuing, Mr.. Dill said that the
desire to secure unearned5weulth was
side,tracking educated men and
women from their real careers, say.
Ing hat the essential element Of
4 graft" was a breach of trust.
Mr. Dill added: Graft Is The ad.
ynnced stage ,nf the craze for unearn-
cd. money 1t is not only the desire
to get something for nothing, but 1t
Is an attempt to get something in. con-
siderauon OF the lgrafter's parting
with something that really does not
belong ito him. Il is a wrong greater
than that of the counterfeiter, who
menly&makes. and passes counterfeit
coin. The CRATER Is man who robs
the eounterfeiter, who made the coin; !.
the CRATER then passes the spurious
coin 10 the public as genuine II
That ! may not in any wise be
misunderstood, ! say to You that this
Indictment OF our business life is, not
based upon an Inherent incurable de!
feet on our American character, but
on the contrary. these evils are an
outgrowth OF our American strenuos.
lty insthe rlotous race for the easy
dollar; and the many, dollars. 1,.wlsh
distinctly to avoid leaving the imprcs.
sion upon your minds that an; unduly,
large proportion Of The American peo.i
pie are Of the class which I have
sought 70 call to account Rather let
me In conclusion, mphasize the
fact that IN the hearts; Of the genuine
men and women q our country
there rs an apprec iatlon Of the i'm.
Dortance Sofs charac ter: that the rank
and I file 81 the Amer can people not
only helieye u. but also stand for
FIlghtS living and cons ienc 81 ndintI
med and saafet tered by busine SIS en-.
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