New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-11-26
AN EVIL OF PUBLIC SERVICE.

The lack of courtesy and still worse, the more
or less violent physical assaults which have be-
come characteristic of crowds are not the only
evil features of them. 1t is bad enough for the
members of q crowd TO jostle and TO lay forcible
hands upon ore another. 1t is bad in itself. and
it is, as we have recently pointed out ominous
in its menace of future development II Is also
bad for the constituted guardians of peace and
order. the police, 10 make so free use of force as
they sometimes do The readiness with which
policeman seizes one by the arm or shoulder OF
strikes one with his club is not only exceedingly
offensive but is grave breach Of right ana OF
rational law. In this respect there is vast diff
ference between the policeman OF New-fork ana
the policeman of London. The latter does not
use club nor even take hold of people with MS
hands hundredth part as often as does the for
mer yet he is not whit less effective III dealing
with crowds and in regulating traffic on streets
far more crowded than ours.
There is another feature of the same general
case. however, which deserves attention as, II
nossible more offensive and not less menacng
than these. That Is the conduct or the EN-
ployes Of transportation companies toward that
public which they are supposed to serve. Inc
conductors gatemen motormen ana others Oh
the surface and elevated railroads have become
so accustomed to seeing passengers herded ana
marked together Ike cattle that they seem 10
have come to look upon them as cattle. Inc
proverbial step lively, please has been de-
nrived of the please" and made more emphauc'
sometimes by the addition of more or less Cd
iurgatory or minatory phrase. come, get IN
here, Can't wait all day. is not unfrequently
the welcome accorded to passengers entering a
public conveyance. want 10 get oil! Nell'
why didn't you say so? Come, step lively. Is
NOT an unknown form Of address to those VINO
have for some minutes vainly signalled the con-
ductor to stop the car and have been carried tar
mast the point where they wished to alight. On
some lines actual abuse and profane curslng are
not infrcauently INDUCED in, with physIcal Vlo-
lence in expediting the entrance or exit or pas
sengers. In brief the demeanor OF the working
force Of transportation lines is often scandalous'
/ and generally disrespectful.
II would not be fitting for such public servants
| 70 assume an air of servility. Certainly not
! They are not to treat passengers as though the
! latter were exalted personages' or anything
more than their fellow men. But they should
treat them as though they were men ana not
cattle Their manner should at least be as re-
( snactful as that Of statesmen in business houses.
The latter are required by their employers to De
rasnectful lest the houses lose custom. But,
despite the perfunctory notices posted In the
J cars. no such compulson is placed upon, or az
onv rate none Is recognized by, the transporta-
tion ennloves The reasons are obvious. The
COR companv is not afraid Of losing the patron
ooa NJ those who are i'll treated because it has
n monopoly of the service People must ride in
tie cars and submit 10 the incivility of Its en-
nloves or not ride at all. and TO most of them
riding is a necessity. The second and not less
notent reason is that which we mentioned above,
namely that the example set by the company IN
reouiring its patrons TO ride packed like sar-
dimes has It's effect upon the men, and naturally
lends them 10 treat passengers with discourtesy
II the owners of the cars have no respect for the
passengers and no regard for their comfort and
their natural rights, why should the employees
bavep II has often been said that few men, how
ever humane. can for long time have charge OF
n nrison or reformatory without becoming hard
ened and perhaps brutalized in their attitude
toward the inmates. There is doubtless much
truth in that And there is equal truth in the
belief that few men can deal with the patrons
of TRANSFORMATION lines as they are compelled by
tbe,r employers TO deal with them without be
coming hrutallzed in manner II is a monstrous
OWL responsibility for which lies far back OF
those who directly practise It.
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