The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-11-29
CORNER STONES OF CHARACTER


!. Honesty.
The ancient Jewish law giver spok;
upon this subject both bluntly and
briefly. He said: Thou shalt not
| STEAL and his voice was as the voice
of God. TC take or receive that for
which one does not render a fair
equivalent is to steal: to steal is dis
honest No substantial character. no
enduring business success can be built
without the cornerstone of honesty in
its foundation.
Honesty is defined as the character
or quality by which one acts or is dis 3
posed to act justly and honorably,
especially in business transactions or
in relation To the rights of property:
/ unwilling to commit or countenance
II fraud" Honesty is recognized as the
basis of the modern business system.
I Notes. checks. drafts and promises by
word of mouth, together with the great
credit system and the extensive use of
+ the installment plan of payment are
/ the means of doing a large proportion
of the worlds business. Without
them business would be demoralized
and diminished beyond realization
Yet none of these would be possible
We're il not that most men are right
ly assumed to be honest. and that the
dishonesty of the few is carefully
guarded against.
Honesty is also the basis of indi-
vidual character. 1t compels one to
hold himself up to the same require
ments which he expects others to
meet. 1t prevents one from assuming
to be what he is not. 1t prevents ore
from taking advantage of another
either by superior wisdom or by great
er strength. Its essential basis is
justice, fairness. absolute integrity.
Honesty will not permit one to have
or to touch that which does not right
ly belong to him. IL requires the en-
ploye to do honest. earnest work and
the employer to pay a generous wage
and to treat his employees kindly. 1t
compels the student to do faithful
work in the school room. and the
professional man or woman to render
generous equivalent for the fee or
salary received.
The following incident. quoted from
Robert c. Ogden. well illustrates
the higher standard of honesty. 1t re-
lates to a business man of moderate
fortune who was a comparatively large
holder of the certificates of certain
railroad. The standing of this road
had been SO high that its securities
were allowed by the courts to be held
as investments for estates and trust
funds. But trouble developed which
was sure to lead to receivership.
This was known to only a few inside
the management: but one of these
gave the information confidentialiy to
the merchant in question. with the ad-
vice that he sell out Immediately be-
fore the impending publicity with it's
ensuing. decline of the securities. He
positively refused to act upon the
knowledge" says Mr.. Ogden, and
stood the severe loss which followed;
for. said he. it would not be honest
for me to protect myself at the ex-
pense OF some confiding and innocent
purchaser"
Honesty has no more subtle foe than
gambling. No man can be honest and
gamble. for gambling is essentially and
inherently dishonest. Dishonesty is
the purpose and practice of trying to
get something for nothing: and this. is
the nature and object of gambling.
SAYS an eminent legal authority:
Whenever any money or other yalu-
able consideration is hazarded and
may be lost. or more than the value
obtained by chance. il is gambling. nor
will any name or device take it out
of this category" When you drop your
nickel in the slot and spin the wheel
for cigars YOU and the proprietor of
the wheel gamble. and you are both |
dishonest. Either you get more cigars |
than your money would buy. or YOU
get none at all. 1t is something for
nothing. either for you or the pro-
prietor of the wheel. Whether you !
stand at the roulette wheel, or sit |
across the table from the faro dealer. |
or take hand i'm a society game for /
prize. you gamble: and gambling .
undermines dishonesty.