The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1899-08-03
THE MERIT SYSTEM,

Railway companies have now system
of discipline more exact than Is required
in the army during time of war. 1t Is
not such a. destroys individuality. In
deed it gives individuality an opportun-
tv to assert itself on the lines of merit
This system is the growth of experience
and painstaking observation and through
it men are developed into high order
of efficiency The railway service Is not
reformatory, but each person is held
strictly accountable for his acts. He re
ceiyes credit for everything meritorious
and is charged with every delinquency.
He il the arbiter of his own fate so far
as retention Of his position Is concerned
or promotion. He is rarely admonished
except as the record he makes offers it,
The punishment which Herbert Spencer
deems the most perfect, as producing re-
Election suffering the consequences of
ones acts-is the kind visited upon the
railway employe Railway service, in
consequence, has become school for
the development of manhood. The weak
in purpose however, have no place there
Examination for railway service Is
more vigorous than that for enlistment
in the army After admission the merit
system prevails to an extent approaching
perfection The order of the Chicago d.
Northwestern recently dropping from its
employment lady stenogi aphers seemed
harsh. but it was in the line of perfect
ing the merit sytem. There was to be
no form of employment III the company ;
service which was not to be source for
promotion if merit was exhibited. The
women had to yield to this general law
Notwithstanding exceptional abilities in
limited capacity.
The railroads because of this merit
system and inviolable procedure in ac-
cordance with it, have become the great
est temperance agencies in the world
They do not preach temperance, but
Spencer's doctrine of imposing the nat
ural consequences is a mandate self-im-
posed and for this reason obeyed The
day of carousal is over with the railroad
employe. Temperance is becoming a
habit and entire abstention is becoming
common.
This is great change but effected very
quietly. There were no pledges, cru
sades or speech-making. 1t was work
done quietly but done properly. No CO.
ercion was employed. The men We're
led to perceive in what direction their
interests lay and saw that good service
was recognized The writer within the
last few months was visited by several
young men, former residents of this
county, who are rapidly climbing the
ladder of promotion in railway service
Though not raised as such they are all
teetotalers through the habit of strict at
tention to business.
Il is not in this line alone that progress
is made. The recognition of merit has
expanded the men in every direction
They look philosophically on economic
and public questions and eschew agita-
ton. The men seem to have the sense
of property in their calling and have the
energy which possession
gives The merit system by making
better men has given railway companies
better servants, men who will not cringe
but who will not neglect duty. The
government might with profit take les
sons from railway corporations in civil
service reform. But it must be business
and not pretense.