The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-28
Strange Lapsss Of Civility Into
Which Men Fail When
Using It
Distance and Invisibility AFFORD
License for Disoourtesy and
Brusqueness.
The Whole systsm Characterised ~ Bouf-
gsois-AutocFaey and Despotfsm Of
"Central"-Dispositi0ns soured.

UAA0y
are almost interchangeable terms in this
ehurlish business world Of ours. says the
Chicago Evening Post. It is not because
We do not 70 to the roots OF things, either,
that our polt1eness II largely matter OF
policy; it is because our impolitenesses,
whose name 10 legion. are prompted more or
LEES by cowardice; it il because expediency
is our watchword, and our motto, "Be polite
only when it pays to do co." A friend Of
mine has called my attention lately to the
strange lapse Of common civility into which
men fall when holding Communication
through the telephone; lapses for which, il
they ever forgot themselves 20 far, they
would apologize on their knees or b. lifted
BIZ the propulsion of a muscular force IL in
dulged in outside of tho medium Of the
mystic wire. The reason for their utter
disregard Of good manners in this oonnec-
ton ID Che says) because they are unseen
and gnkn : A. to ;. the person. they are
to be insolent. It IL about az brave az writ.
ing anonymous letters.
In the early days of the telephone, whom
It WAS new and people were naturally lit
tie excited and embarrassed in dealing with
an unfamiliar agency, there was some OK
yous7' and other crudenesses belonging to
primitive state. But now that tele-
phone 10 as common 40 q door-bell and men
transact their business through it all day
long, Why should it not be used with cour-
tesy and dignity2 Hello! Who are your
we'll, who are you? Oh, / don't want You.
Ring Oh ~ 10 q nice, urDane greeting for
gentleman to bestow upon some poor crea-
ture, man or woman, who has been called
away from more important business than
his. perhaps through his own indistinctness
or that Of the being known to the world as
central" There il another grievance. the
idiosyncracies Of that mysterious person
age. But that, az RudyarG Kipling says, Is
another story and can wait minute.
The whole system of telephoning here is
bourgeois; there is no English word which
covers the ground like the French one. A
courtesy until it 10 known who she is; then
all is suavity and kindness. That is snob-
bish rather than bourgeois, after all. II q
gentleman inadvertly subjects lady to an
annoyance in public he begs her pardon
politely no matter whether he knows her or
not T. he 10 calls Sdsi he. pR at the telephone BY
asks her what she wants, or shouts to the
central Office, "What do you mean by Civ
ing me the wrong number9" IL it because,
in the first case, he is before the public and
has his manners with him, and in the
second he is incognito and can be as rude
as he likes. It looks very like it. There is
very apt to be human being at the other
end Of the wire, after all; and ten to one
human being who has never done you any
harm. So, really, even if you are yelled a
little pleasantness in your tone is more APP
bitterness you mpart OFT ON general prin-s
ciples.
II il such an easy matter to state your
firms, or your houses or your own name
whom you call up person at the end of the
line that is marvellous how the best of men
pie preliminary. It saves time and temper
and Misunderstanding. "Who are you?''
asks A. ''Who are you?'' retorts H., by
way of calculating matters and making
things clear to both parties. To listen to
the telephone co!loquies in this city for one
in the chronicles Of BillinRsgate.
The dignitary called Central" who oc-
cupies throne in the middle distance sur-
rounded by halo-not to say hello-of
mystery-well, all can say 10 if ''it'' has
great deal to put mp with, and doubt it
its head upon its pillow at night know
ing that it has had its revenge upon
its natural enemies most completely. The
czar of all the Russias is not more autocrat
than this monarch of the telephone sys-
tenn. It cuts you of in the middle Of q
before. You begin; and, in spite Of the
proud privilege which subscribers are al
lowed, according to the printed rules. of
ending their own conversations themselves
and Of notifying the Office when they have
doue 90, central" takes 6endish delight
Or else feels it . solemn duty. to break il at
the most interesting or important moment
of the dialogue with some exasperatino re-
mark. or worse, with silence which falls
like pail upon the expectant listener and