Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-20
BUSINESS ETHICS
GETTING BETTER.
Evolution in Minds and Morals
of High Finance Considered
Encouraging.
Rx q. c EoRaEs

6y b. Z. FORBES.
NEW YORK, May 20--The American
fashion in money making has changed.
1t is better than ii was ten years ago.
But there is still room for improvement
in some direction-the revelations con-
corning the wholesale foisting of ques
tionable meat upon the public, the abund
ant evidence of eXtortion in marketing
farm products in this city of New York,
the disclosures of crookedness in high
judicial places all prove this. Yet a calm
survey of the situation is not wholly dis
heartening Intimate knowledge Of the
evolution that has taken place in the
minds and morals of high finance is posi-
lively encouraging
That honesty is the best policy has
been brought home TO so many men of
prominence that the opposite theory now
has comparatively few-note the qualify
ing word compare lively ''-supporters.
Expediency rather than principle may
have been responsible for the change in
many cases While it is true that men
can not be made honest by legislation,
they may be frightened from dishonesty
by vigorous punitive laws For my part
am disposed to attribute the betterment
in conduct more to conscience than TO
coercion. although some may hold a diff
ferent view ] know from daily expert
ence that in not a few instances men of
note who have been in no wise impi-
Gated in any of the latter day corporate
scandals TODAY feel more kindly toward
the masses (to use an ugly word) than
they did when the present century
opened. There has been a genuine reali-
zation of the elemental fact that after
all. one man is entitled to as much con
IL, Il.
not willfuly forfeit his brthright. OF
course ii were idle to deny that this real
izaton has been FASTENED in the upper
circles by its realization lower down the
social scale.
The things that are considered worth
while today were, some of them, but
lightly regarded few years ago. This
is especially true OF the financial world.
The futiity, the final appropriateness of
base dealing is less of an idealistic theory
than formerly
A number of people were the other day
discussing two of their neighbors. (Which
is the richer?" some one asked The
point was quickly settled-as far dol
lars and cents went. But what a contrast
was drawn between the life of the two.
Before It ended the richer man was, by
common consent. voted pauper, the
other rich in the things that 60 to make
life worthy and enjoyable in the best
sense Shall / outline the character and
conduct of cache Perhaps to do so may
not be amiss in commenting upon money
making and how it is now regarded.
The one rich in dollars works. on an
average. fifteen hours every day. has
never taken a weeks vacation in thirty
or more years, has not allowed sickness
TO keep him from business single day
no matter how i'll he felt. and has never
INDUCED in any kind OF hobby He goes
straight from his home to his business
six or seven days every week, knows
none of his neighbors intimately. never
takes his wife out and has but Indifferent
control over his family-they have little
opportunity to cultivate his own employ
ees and consequently has become some
what arrogant and heathenishly narrow
in his views He is obsessed by business.
business, business. All else is sacrificed.
He takes no pleasure in the companion
ship of either children or adults. He is
unoved and ENJOYABLE, machine rather
than human being.
The other man is endowed with quite
as good brains, holds responsible posi-
ton, aIteDuS SlIIGllN 10 huSiltSS lOl d
reasonable number Of hours daily. but
contrives to take leading part in vari-
Gus activities. He has been showered
with honors by several fraternal and
benevolent societies. he has labored ag
gressively for municipal (and especially
locaD improvements. his advice has been
at the disposal of others less gifted All
this has not prevented him from accom-
panying his family to social functions or
to the opera and other entertainments
which appeal to their musical taste. He
knows most Of the residents of his neigh
borhood and enjoys a quite unusual meas
ure of popularity. Unlike the other man.
he wears smile instead Of long. mo-
rose face His companionshp is sought
rather than avoided He.is not a stran-
ger to his own children. In short he full
fills all the duties of citizenship and adds
something by way of a bonus to hu-
manity.
Which. think YOU. is the richer? The
rich man or the relatively poor one?