CHARACTER.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXV, Issue 10713, 2 April 1913, Page 4

CHARACTER.

The news of the death of Mr J. Pierpont Morgan, the American multimillionaire, will revive interest in the statements recently imade by that gentleman before the Money Trust Commission. Mr Morgan declared that "character" was the greatest asset a man could possess. He stated' that lie had, himself given a main a cheque .for a million dollars,, when lie knew that ho had *cent-;~ih'' the world, simply because lie was a nttin of character. This statement :s said to have aroused snuhrrg cvni■cLsm in financial - circles m London., A • lading' ' deals with it as follows:—r"A millionaire like J. Pierpont Morgan can afford to make experiments in character, but the best of characters is not much use in the City when it conies to credit . A reputation for straight dealing ig a valuable asset for any man, but in addition to reputation he-must he in a position to out his bargains. In the 'CEty, a man gets his character from his banker. You must know a man very intimately before you_caii estimate his character. But voai soon learn to gauge- the value of his credit. The man who goes about the City .seeking credit solely on the strength of a good character will find this ia hard, cokl, 'and doubting world.'' It "^vou,ld aaipear, therefore, that, the standard of financial morality set by the American millionaire does not find favour in the intensely practical Stock Exchange.