Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 August 1917 — HAVE WE A DOUBLE STANDARD? [ARTICLE]

HAVE WE A DOUBLE STANDARD?

One of the most incomprehensible features of - American life is the strange conception which many people have of what should constitute public honesty. Public funds are looked upon as something in the nature of spoils, the rightful property of him who is shrewd enough to annex them. 1 Now we have no reference here to the public official who resorts to the very ciude. expedient.o.£defaulting. He is a bungler and deserves all of the punishment possible to inflict upon him. Rather, we refer to the amazing system of graft that is so openly and defiantly practiced in almost every community in the land, and that by people who would be quick to resent any slightest question of their probity. Take, for instance, Mr. Jones, (a purely fictitious personage). He is one of the most substantial men of his town. His word has alwayk been as good as a bond. No hint of crooked business methods has ever been breathed against him. He is' regarded as scrupulously honest and above board in all of his dealings. , But Mr. Jones is elected to some office wherein he has the custody of the people’s money—that is, the spending of it. Now what do you see? Why, the sickening spectacle of an hitherto honest man “grafting’’ on the public. Deals are made that he would not for one moment have considered in hjs capacity as a private citizen. And it is noticeable that they all tend to his own or his friends’ advantage. It, is a bite

here and a nibble there, until,in the long run he has consumed many loaves in excess of what was his legitimate portion. And the strange part of the circumstance is that Jones would indignantly resent any reflection on his integrity. Now, why was Air. Jones not just as scrupulous in his public acts as in his private dealings? Is it possible that we American people have a double standard of honesty well as morality? Is it, wrong to filch from one and right to filch from the many? And another strange feature of the case is that Mr. Jones is as highly respected after he retires from office as he was before he assumed it We submit that Mr. Jones was and is essentially an honest man, but with a wrong perspective, He is, . unf.orfunat.eiy, possessed of that all too common idea that the pubs lie is <i cow, and' should Im well milked in order that she may not dry up. We should change pur perspective. We should require as scrupulous honesty in public as. in private life. The'funds of a commonwealth are just as sacred as are those of a customer, or a client, or a ward, and should be so considered. It should be just as reprehensible to allow “leaks’’ in public business as in private affairs; just as wrong to graft from an individual as from th© public. There is but . one standard of honesty, and that is—HONESTY.