Business Integrity of Women.

Te Aroha News, Volume III, Issue 127, 7 November 1885, Page 6

Business Integrity of Women.

"Do women embezzle?" This question was recently put to one of the heaviest dry-goods merchants of Buffalo who always employs women as cashiers "Do women embezzle? No they don't. I never knew a woman who handled other people's money to ateaj a cent. I have employed women as cashiers for years. They are quicker at making chaDge than men ; they detect counterfeit money quicker; they keep their accounts clearer, and don't wish to run the • hole store as men do. Never have I known ot a jiingle case of embezzlement by women, never liave I heard of one, I cannot say tha same of men. I have employed four younsr men at different times as cashiers. One left me, one was hot quick enough, and the third robbed me."' This is the testimony of but one business man of the many whose evidence could be given proving the honesty of women when handling the money of other people. The statemeut of others, who have informed themselves on the subject, is that women seldom fail to pay their debt3, and even when they might avail themselves of the bankrupt Act, they prefer to hold themselves legally liable for the debt. While the newspapers are full of wicked embezzlements of bank presidents running away with fortunes, wrecking homes, impoverishing families, destroyingreputations, disgracing their friends and ruining themselves ; while trusted men are robbing public institutions, gambling and stealing, caring not whom they rob, wrong or ruin, women are seldom guilty of such dishonesty or crimes. The general belief is that women are honest. Yet in the face of these facts, and the almost universal belief in their honesty, women are not trusted in a business way by men. Men refuse to lend them money to start in business, to invest in real estate, or to help them save thoir property upon which they have paid a certain amount, and which can only be secured by prompt payment of the remainder. Women often find it hard to secure even a small loan on good security. Men as a rule prefer to say they have not the means at hand. Some will prevaricate, giving almost any reason for refusing to lend rather than the correct one, while a few are manly enough to state the truth, saying, " We do not do business with women. " But very few treat them as they do men, and give them a chance to make an honest living. Why is this ? It is not that men consider them dishonest It is because they have no confidence in the business capacity of women or in their judgment as to investing or taking care of money. Some men cling to the old idea that it is not becoming in a woman to engage in business outside of home, however needy she may be. Hundreds of wealthy men will give, and give liberally, to establish " hom^s for women " who have failed to secure homeB for themselves, Yet if .a few hundred would have enabled them • to provide for ' themselves these good men would not have loaned them the small amount, because they believed they did not understand business. The greatest kindness and modest act is to help the needy to help themselves. If women do not understand business, how are they to over come this deficiency if prevented by such circumstances from acquiring the proper knowledge? With honest principles and proper opportunities, supplied with some means and trusted by the public, they cannot fail to become as trusted in business and as proficient breadwinners as their brothers. Give them an opportunity to become self-supporting rat her than genteel paupers. Save them this terrible humiliation added to their other trials, ->- "PittBburg Commercial Gazette."

In Sad a>*d Sober Earnest. —One stormy morning while a paity of Scots was crossing from Arran to Ardrossan, one of their number was observed by his companions to be sitting at the side of the boat with a very woebegone expression on his face, and evidently suffering severely from seasickness. On seeing this one of the travellers approached him, and said kindly, " Are , you sick, Geordie ? " "Magudeness ! " said Geordie, evidently in disgust, " d'ye think a'm doing it for tun?"