The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1888-01-06
TWO METHODS.

TWO METHODS.
The list Of railway accidents the past fev
days 10 appalling. They havs occurred d
over the eastern country, and while in som,
instances the loss Of life has been small II
Others 1t has been heavy, and in oil nigh
have been. Nearly all these accidents wer'
doe to carelessness on the part Of employee
or the bad condition Of the roads, which
should have been provided against by th,
companies. In referring to this matter th.
Independent points out two facts aside from
keeping the track in condition that bea
upon the cause of accidents. One of then
Is the low wages paid employees and tn
other is the espionage or 'spotter" system
There is no doubt that competition compel
them to scale operating expenses down ..
low - reasonably possible If they would
have their roads financially prosperous. But
there is = point beyond which economy be
comes extravagance, and that is when IL
keeps competent men out Of position Z,
reasonable wages to engage incompetents Il
- SsA 1S00S " "0VA VsS0 p0y 40 0O INV 00O
the tenure SO uncertain ~ to sti1e the am.
bition and energy Of good men. The "spot-
ter" system Is an aaominable one at best. It
humiliates an honest man to know his intee-
rity is pitted against the reports Of spies and
it puts = rogue to his metal to outwit theE.
It is an inherent ambition In an honest man
to be above suspicion, and when he has A.
tanned that standing his sense of honor 10
better protection to his employer than an
hundred spies. His experience and famili.
arity with his duties renders him more use.
full and valuable every year, aud the certain
~ ~sIs- s--iAi-- ~..-. NJ. hina.fn. snfroland.
ing himself with those suEest projections
against deviations from q correct life-wife,
children and home. Why, then, is it not
better that railroad companies should pay
good wages to good employees, increasing
salaries with every year of service with them,
and give each honest, capable, temperate
empioye to know that honest service will
surely be rewarded by retention and pro.
motion Is competency and opportunity offer,
rather than pay the same money out for
spoilers, repairs aud damages while grinding
honest men and making them feel their
tenure and reputation is At the mercy Of .
spotter and . company that has no faith
beyond their reports. Our word for 1t, the
railroad companies that do this will not
only have the best showing in dollars Is the
years 60 by, but employees who will stand by
their company loyalty ever and everywhere
and do oil that men can do to be worthy of
such IN employer. This is one way to pre-
vent railroad accidents and railroad strikes,
and 1t will bring business to . road that is
known to have such q system and such EN-.
ployees, for it would soon fill its positions
with the most competent, careful and reli-
able men in al capacities and secure their
influence in its behalf. Even they might
make mistakes, but the liability to do 80
would be very largely decreased, and no cir
will justify = diminution of en-
to . danger station.
The Independent ais, alludes to Z folly |
some Of the eastern roads are practicing.
When an accident occurs the officers and
employees Of the road will give no informa-
lion to the newspapers. They are sure to
the news, and will get the most
they can. The officers are supposed
be best informed and should endeavor 10
zee that . correct statement goes to them.
The facts will come out in time. It lie
,etter they should 60 to the people 1t once,
or failing at one source the reporter will
urely seek another to gather what he can.
Tot long since an accident occurred east of
The brief item was published
lere, aud the fact that the Chicago Office
and insolently, too, any information
0 the press reporter. Some weeks after
entleman here learned that parties he was
in were travelling on that road
hat night, and he could not hear from them,
nd the only resource he had was to apply
Or information through Pinkertons. He
ill never travel on that road, nor will any
ne if it occurs to them that anything tina:
befali them IS to be suppressed by the
dicials and the telegraph lines they control.
is better the facts should be published.
he way to suppress facts Of railroad acci- :
is TO prevent the accidents. l
We do not assume that all accidents are
ne to carelessness. Many are beyond the
over of companies OF men to prevent. In !
! such cases no censure rests on them. But
there is any way to forefend against them
lmsnity demands that ali such agencies be
~tercised, and our object has been to urge
system appealing to the better nature of I
an instead Of a%rousing bis worst to secure '
s best efforts, believing in that direction 4
IS true economy and the better protection b
the lives of those who work aud travel on Il
e rail. @~m~ 4