As a trader the Bania formerly had a high standard of commercial
probity. Even though he might show little kindliness or honesty in
dealing with the poorer class of borrowers, he was respected and
absolutely reliable in regard to money. It was not unusual for people
to place their money in a rich Bania's hands without interest, even
paying him a small sum for safe-keeping. Bankruptcy was considered
disgraceful, and was visited with social penalties little less severe
than those enforced for breaches of caste rules. There was a firm
belief that a merchant's condition in the next world depended on the
discharge of all claims against him. And the duty of paying ancestral
debts was evaded only in the case of helpless or hopeless poverty. Of
late, partly owing to the waning power of caste and religious feeling
in the matter, and partly to the knowledge of the bankruptcy laws,
the standard of commercial honour has greatly fallen. Since the
case of bankruptcy is governed and arranged for by law, the trader
thinks that so long as he can keep within the law he has done nothing
wrong. A banker, when heavily involved, seldom scruples to become a
bankrupt and to keep back money enough to enable him to start afresh,
even if he does nothing worse. This, however, is probably a transitory
phase, and the same thing has happened in England and America at one
stage of commercial development. In time it may be expected that
the loss of the old religious and caste feeling will be made good
by a new standard of commercial honour enforced by public opinion
among merchants generally. The Banias are very good to their own
caste, and when a man is ruined will have a general subscription and
provide funds to enable him to start afresh in a small way. Beggars
are very rare in the caste. Rich Marwaris are extremely generous in
their subscriptions to objects of public utility, but it is said that
the small Bania is not very charitably inclined, though he doles out
handfuls of grain to beggars with fair liberality. But he has a system
by which he exacts from those who deal with him a slight percentage
on the price received by them for religious purposes. This is called
Deodan or a gift to God, and is supposed to go into some public fund
for the construction or maintenance of a temple or similar object. In
the absence of proper supervision or audit it is to be feared that the
Bania inclines to make use of it for his private charity, thus saving
himself expense on that score. The system has been investigated by
Mr. Napier, Commissioner of Jubbulpore, with a view to the application
of these funds to public improvements.