New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-09-29

these gentlemen expended on the bell-punch
was quite extensive. and its quality OF the
highest possible tone, though we do not re-
member that any of them claimed to be God
Clearing mem or made any appeals to the
"Christian Public" 1t is fact worthy OF re-
mark, however, that the railroad companies
found perceptible increase in their revenues
after the introduction of the punch, and we
presume those soulless corporations found COM
pensation in this circumstance for the loss OF
the able and accomplished conductors who
retired Which only shows by what sordid con-
siderations corporations are governed.
The introduction into politics OF the system
of investigations, accompanied by the practice
of free criticism by the independent-Or to use
the happier phrase of the Presidents organ,
the detective" press, seems to have had
kind of bell-punch effect upon large number
of our ablcst and purest Government con-
ductors and drivers. The first introduction OF
the bell-punch in politics on an extensive scale
was in the Winter of 1928, when series of
Investigations were set on foot which had the
usual effect the discharge from the public
service of large number of statesmen, VINO
said as they stepped down like conductor
from the rear platform Z" IL this Is the way
"public servants are treated, wash my hands
" of all official trusts, and retire to private
"life." That was an impressive spectacle
when so many of them stepped down and out
Oh the 4th of March, 1878, protesting as they
went that the introduction of the bell-punch
was dcmoralizing to the public service and de-
structive of the sclf-rcspect and sense OF
manhood of all great and good men.
Such hegira of our purest and
best was very discOuraging TO the lover of free
institutions it seemed very doubtful If we
should ever be able to fill their places. But
pcrverse and stubborn public sentiment, which
il must be confessed was based upon the low,
mercenary consideration of saving money to
the Government, persisted in retaining the
bel-punch, and the Investigations went on,
notwithstanding the protests of certain news
papers which were at the trouble of demon
strating daily that the bell-punch was driving
out some of the most talented conductors and
running the business of the line. And what is
queer about it is, that although it has driven
out so many of our purest and best from the
service of the Government, the people are
rather pleased with its operation.
It was discovered some months ago that
some of the street car conductors had found
out way to "beat the bell-punch" by hav-
ing a punch of their own which made all the
noise and seemed to do all the work of those
furnished by the company. This was ingeni-
GUS. But corporations have no appreciation OF
ingenuity. AS soon as they found out what
was going on they discharged the men who
had the extra punches. 1t is a remarkable
coincidence that the same thing precisely hap
pened in the experience of the Government
when the bell-punch was introduced in poll
tics. Some conductors appointed their own
investigating committees and superintendent
their inquires-that is, introduced little bell
punch of their own which made just as much
noise and seemed Is effective as the genuine
one. But we have had evidence within few
days that the Government has no appreciation
of ingenuity. The private punch business has
been stopped and the conductor has just stepped
off the rear platform.