The daily morning journal and courier., 1900-07-25
CIGARETTES UNDER A BAN.
The Rock Island Railroad Bars the Us

of Them by It's Employes.
 There is no place in the services of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific road for the cigarette smoker. An em- bargo has been put upon those addict ed to the habit. It will be the policy of the system that no person who smokes the weed will be employed, and those who are now in the roads service and who are cigarette smokers will be given the option of quitting the one or the other It is not the disposition of the executive officers to temporlze on the question. Tbe edict has been made and will be strenuously enforced. This is the first time that railroad company has adopted such a course against the | cigarette That the experiment will be eagerly watched by other lines has al- ready been manifested, for other roads are contemplating the same action should this prove success. So far the results have been encouraging, consid- ering the fact that the new order of things has only been in effect few weeks. All who apply for positions on the road are asked if they are addicted to the cigarette habit, and if the appli- Acants answer in the affirmative their applications are consigned to the waste basket
 Though no general order has been is- sued by the road with reference to the matter, it has been tacitly agreed upon by the executive officers to make the test of an applicant on this question, and no matter how proficient he may be In railroading, if he uses the objec- tionable cigarette, he cannot break into l the Rock Islands service with a crow bar At the foot of every application blank issued by the road there Is print | ed in a rubber stamp this question, | Do you smoke cigarettes?" The addi- tlon was made about week ago. Pri- | or to that time and since the adoption 1 of the rule the examining physicians and others who are connected with the examination of the applicants merely , put the question verbally to the person seeking employment in the service. | We want to discourage cigarette smoking among our men," said Presi- dent w. G. Purdy In discussing the ac- tion Cigarette smoking is a vicious habit, and tends to befog the mind and makes one listless and careless in the discharge of his duties. Experience has shown that the confirmed cigarette user is sleepy and of no account; he becomes irresponsible and lazy. Tn the railroad business, and especially among the trainmen, it requires clear brain to discharge the responsibilities. The Rock leland road will employ the best men obtainable, men strong of body and head, for the work exacts much and absolutely requires sound persons. We are always looking to the improve ment of the service, and l believe tha the action taken with reference to the poisonous cigarette will accomplish a good purpose"
 General Superintendent A. J. Hit was the first to tackle this problem. It was he who suggested the solution of 1t so far as it related to the railroad, and this suggestion came to him after long study of the effect of the vicious weed upon the human system, aug mented, of course, by the judgment of the most eminent physicians in declar- ing the cigarette to be injurious Some weeks ago Superintendent Hit was in company with Superintendents Still well and Hobbs, of other divisions of the Rock Island system. They were Investigating the actions of an employe of the road With reference to matter which was under consideration at the time. when they overheard a conversa- ton between two other employees com menting upon the same question. Tlle latter were censuring the man who was under investigation. In the course of the discussion one of them remarked that the fault of the whole business was due to cigarette smoking and that the man in question was a confirmed cga- rette fiend.
 The comment impressed Superintend- ent Hit, and he made comment upon it to the other two officials. They then discussed the matter, with the result that a week later the embargo on cig- arctic smokers was placed and instruc- tions were so issued verbally to the su- perintendentS and physicians who eX- amined applicants for employment. It was also made retroactive, so as to cover those who are already in the ser vice. These will be given the opportu- nity to quit the cigarette or the road Since none have resigned for this cause 1t is presumed that many have quit the
 
 weed there were on the system the off, | cials were unable to say. They ven- tured statement that there were com paratively few among the twelve thou sand in the entire service.
 Though the rule has only been in ef- | feet short time," said General Super intendent Hill, there has, we believe, | been some perceptible result. When an | application is filed and the applicant | makes an affirmative answer to the | question whether he smokes cigarettes or not his paper is not given mo- ment's consideration. We are always looking for a chance to improve the | service even in the smallest things, and | are quick to adopt means to accom- plish that end. There Is no doubt that the use of the cigarette units a man in measure for work. My observation. as well as the opinions of eminent phy- sicians, has convinced me the cigarette vitiates mans capacity. It enervates him, renders him listless and somewhat