Character And Credit
( Originally Published Early 1900's )
DR. O. S. MARDEN, who insists so much on truth, virtue and honor for their own sake, has recently called attention to the value of Character as a basis of business credit, in the following words :
Many young men, beginning a business career for themselves, make the mistake of supposing that financial credit is based wholly upon property or capital. They do not understand that character and reliability, combined with aptitude for one's business, and a disposition to work hard, are far more important assets to have than millions of dollars. The young fellow who begins by sweeping out the store, and who finally becomes a clerk, manager, or superintendent by his energy and reliability of character, does not usually find it difficult to secure credit to start in business for himself. On the other hand, jobbing houses are not inclined to advance credit to the man who, though he may have inherited a fortune, has shown no capacity for business, and is of doubtful character.
" The young men who start for themselves, on a small scale, are more energetic, work harder, are more alert, are quicker to appreciate the chances of the market, and are generally more polite and willing than those possessed of large capital.
" The credit men in jobbing houses are very quick, as a rule, to see the success qualities in prospective buyers, and seldom make a mistake in their estimate of what credit it is safe to extend."
While many good people fail, and bad people succeed in business there is certainly a tendency in virtue to a temporal reward. There is a tendency to health in religion. The bad nations, whose blood has been corrupted, have had about every pestilence that has swept away the millions of the race.
The Christian nations own the wealth of the world. Heathenism is bankrupt. The intelligent, virtuous characters dominate the race to-day, control its laws, literature and commerce. Goodness for a reward is not a high motive, but it is not to be wholly ignored. Godliness is profitable, having the promise of both worlds.