Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1898-04-17

day and see if you cant think of a reason that will prevent it next time
 Sometimes the offenses are even more trivial. A trainman is suspended for appearing on duty with his uniform in bad condition, if he is discourteous to passengers, if he fails to call stations properly, if he negleets to help ladies off the train.
 A freight brakeman is suspended from a day to a week and sometimes is given even more of lay-off for failing to couple promptly, coming on duty with his breath smelling of liquor, for getting a flag or a signal, and not re- porting promptly on time to take his run.
 If conductor does not keep keen eye to the end that the rules shall be obeyed by the other trainmen, he must also endure punishment for the of. lenses they commit. The railroad com panies do not intend to promote good fellowship between subordinates and superiors. It is their desire that the difference in rank should be thorough ly in evidence at all times.
 1t needs no sharp ear to hear the bitter complaint that many of the rail, road men make as to promotions. 'Favorites are jumped over us, over good men," they say. Ut used to be that the fellows got to the top who earned their way, but nowadays it il pull and not merit"
 Undoubtedly there are cases where this is true, but a careful reading of this railroad rule which governs pro- motions is interesting:
 "All employees shall be regarded as in the line of promotion, advancement depending upon the faithful discharge of duty and capacity for increased re- sponsibility."
 It is on the last five words of this rule that the railroad officials base their defense of the charge of favorit- ism. tsThere are faithful, honest bag gagemen and station masters in the employ of the railroads" said Super intendent Mccoy, ''who have held their positions for very many years and often wonder that they have not | been promoted. SThe reason is simple. They are good baggagemen and good station masters, but we have watched 1 them very closely and tried them in a 1 quiet way from time to time and proved that they could not satisfaetor- | fly fill higher positions. There are plenty of frst=class conductors and brakemen who are fitted for just those places and no higher ones. That is the secret of what sometimes seems pecu- | liar promotions of railroad employees '
 There is one great work that the railroad discipline of conductors and trainmen is accomplishing, work that is more beneficial for the creation of a vast class of sober and industrious young men than the work of all the temperance associations. Wherever ii | is possible the railroads take young men into their service because as stated they like to make their own men. The young men are ambitious, they say, while the older men are in clined to sink into ruts. This does not mean that as man grows old he is likely to lose his position, but that in filling vacancies the absence of years is an aid rather than detriment to the applicant.
 Injustice there must be and often times there is good ground for the bit ter complaint of the conductors and trainmen, but if general results are con. sidered, the present method of disci. 1 pline seems entitled to favorable con. sideration. Every year it is making de sirable citizens out of hundreds oi young men.