“It requires a great deal of boldness and a great deal of caution to make a great fortune, and when you have got it, it requires ten times as much wit to keep it.” —Emerson.

MOST evil deeds are the result of temptation and, until these temptations are removed or minimized, the evil can not be eliminated.

In recent years we have witnessed the greatest material prosperity the Country has ever known. Everybody had money. Nearly everybody had diamonds or fine furs or an automobile or all three.

The few that did not have these things wanted them because nearly everybody else had them. Those who did not have the ability or the opportunity to earn big money either had to content themselves with the commonest comforts of life or try to get the things they wanted in a dishonest way.

The very spirit of the times has created dis­honesty and some of the rest of us are almost equally guilty with those who have done the criminal acts, because we have made these criminal acts possible.

Flaunting rich clothing, diamonds and gorgeous personal adornment in the face of unwise or unfortunate people who are unable to have these things creates a spirit of desire and unrest which too often ends in a criminal act.

Many robberies and even murders have been caused by the exhibition in public places of large sums of money or other evidences of wealth.

Unprotected millions have been carried about the Country. The death of a millionaire and the settlement of his estate recently brought out the fact that his wife was carrying about the Country from place to place more than $250,000 in money and still more than that amount in bonds. The grip which contained these valuables had been carried on trains, left in baggage rooms and check rooms and otherwise exposed to possible loss or theft.

It is only human nature that men steal more when stealing is easy and many men branded as thieves would never have become thieves except for the excessive temptations.

There is no easier way to reduce the thieving and robbery which have been going on than to make stealing unprofitable. The hold-up man who realizes only a few cents or a few dollars will soon learn that earning money is more profitable than stealing money.

When it is no longer possible to “stick-up” almost any man on the street and take a few hundred dollars away from him, then robbery will grow less attractive and the man’s moral sense will overcome his evil tendencies.

Eleven men and women fell to discussing this subject while returning home from a party re­cently; by comparing notes they discovered that, aside from their two automobiles, they were carrying with them loot for thieves totaling $68,000 in money, clothing, jewels and other personal effects. In this little group returning from a modest party which did not call for the expendi­ture of any money they discovered a total of $9,657 in actual cash.

It must be almost true that in recent years some people have gone money-mad. They have it and their greatest pleasure is derived from showing it and their next greatest pleasure from spending it. Such vulgar display of money would have meant social ostracism a few years ago. If any man had been seen with such large amounts of cash on his person as many people carry today, he would have been considered a crook, as an honest man would not find it necessary to carry thousands or even hundreds of dollars about with him while attending to ordinary matters of business or pleasure.

Banks have been provided in this Country so that money may be deposited in one city and checked out in any other city in the purchase of goods or the payment of obligations.

It should have startled the whole Country when it was announced in 1921 that there was a billion dollars in currency in this Country which was not in the banks. Since this was disclosed bank deposits have increased and some of this money is now practically safe from thieves or loss.

“Money amassed either serves or rules us.” —Horace.