Many business men seem to think that bribes are efficient helps. It is
not so. The moment you bribe a person you acknowledge your dishonesty
by paying for his dishonesty, and you may be sure that the bribe habit
will grow; the demands of the men accepting the bribe will grow to
alarming proportions. For every dollar you make by bribing someone, you
are losing ten dollars in other ways, especially in your own self
respect and satisfaction.
The moment you give a bribe you are under obligations, and some day or
other the facts will be brought out and you will suffer the
consequences of your own weakness.
Underhand, clandestine information you get is no more than dishonesty
on your part. You can get better information and accomplish your
purpose more surely by going direct to a competitor, stating your case
plainly, and announcing your abhorrence of underhand methods. Your
competitor will appreciate you more for your fairness, and he will go
out of his way to give you information when you have shown you are
square.