Year: 1873

GRATUITOUS TEMPTATIONS.


How many shocks will it require before our
community becomes alive to the fact that de-
falcations ought not to take place in well con-
ducted establishments 1t was an old law
maxim that the acquittal OF one guilty man Is
the conviction of the Judge. 1t may he saiu
with equal truth that great detalcatlon, IN
volying the solvency of an important corpora
tion. is stain upon the business character OF
every officer OF director connected Win H.
We submitted some observations upon THIS
head at the time of that incredible perform
ance of the TaintOr Embczzlement. We referred
10 the loose happy-go-lucly way in which
many of our financial institutions were Jogging
along, leaving their fate entirely IN the hands
of one or two employees, Win no
sofeguard against the disasters that
might arrive from their misiOrtuncs or
dishonesty. 1t was thought at the time by
many friendly critics that we exaggerated the
dangers of the position, but every word we
then said has been justified by the unexpected
and startling disclosures fastened by the
lomentable death of Mr. Mills. Any candid
and intelligent person who will give moments
thought to the subject, will see how made
ouate are the present habit and usage of busl-
ness men to prevent unlimited irregularities
and final ruin in the establishments over which
they are supposed to have supervision. In the
list of officers of the Brooklyn Trust Company
there was an imposing array OF gentlemen OF
wealth and high position, whose names were
TO the general mind a sufficient guarantee OF the
responsibility of any institution with which
they were connected. But they appeared to
think that their duty was done when they had
given the use of their names, and indolently
allowed the Bank TO drift to ruin in the hands
of its President and Secretary.


The remarkable fact in the case of these
two gentlemen is that they were, both OF
them, men Of estmable character, good bust
ness regulations, and so far as any one can
Judge, of irreprOachable intentions. The fact
that such men could have committed this un-
pardonable sin and wrong is itself a significant
and noteworthy sign Of the times. 1t was the
product of temptation and opportunity. The
lust of great gain, the mad fever Of specula-
ton the desire to be suddenly rich which is
responsible for so many shames and crimes,
led Mr. Mills and his accOmplice on from one
operation to another beyond their means. The
indolent carelessness of his associates OIL
lowed the President to put his hands
into the strong-bOx, to make good
his losses. OF course he intended to refund
what he took; no embezzler or defaulter who
erer lived intends to do anything else. Once
started upon that inclined plane, the descent be-
comes every hour more fearfully rapid. The
ease with which the stakes can be obtained, the
certainty the gambler always feels in the next
turn of the cards, cause him to increase both
his ventures and his recklessnesS, until with
his other losses he loses his head, and his
capacity Of sober judgment upon ordinary
business matters. He never pauses until not
only he is himself irretrievably ruined, but
tho institution he has robbed has lost its
power to aid him.


The prayer that we be not led into tempta-
ton is founded upon divine and absolute
knowledge of the human heart. There is
probably combination of temptations TO
which any man will sucCumb. This does not
lessen his guilt nor the severity Of his inevi-
table punishment if he falls, but there is a
woe distinctly pronounced against those by
whom the offense comes. 1t cannot be said
too often that Mr. Mills was meant for good
man and good citizen. He was not in any
sense vicious, or prOhigate, or Ostentatious, or
extravagant. He had not the spendthrift's
rage for scattering money or the miser's de-
light in holding it. lie was a speculator
his faults were all contained in that word.
He might have passed an hOnored and blame
less life and left behind him that fragrant
memory which follows the citizen who loves
art, and culture, and morality, and whose sue
cess is a public beneft-but for one thing.
The organization of the financial institution
over which he presided made it so easy for
him to take what did not belong to him, that
in the first moment of stringency he COM


mitted that irretrievabe error, and never was
free man again. Now when we denounce
tbe existence of state of things
which encourages and brings about such
catastrophes as these. we do not
mean that all men are dishonest, or that the
framework Of society is about to crumble be-
meath our feet But we insist that any bust
ness organization in tainted with fatal de-
feet which makes it easier for its employees
OF officers 10 be kpaYes than 10 be honest.