The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-07-09
BAR ON THE CIGARETTES
ROCK ISLAND ROAD RAMS THY
USE OH THE ssPAPER
PIPE~
NEW RULE FOR IT'S employees
Clnimed That the HaBituaI Use of
Cigarettes Makes a Man
Sleepy, ListIess and
Careless.

There is no place in the service of the
Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific road for
the cigarette smoker. An embargo has been
put on those addicted to the habit IT
will be the policy of the system that no
person who smokes the weed will be en-
ployed. and those who are now in the
> roads service who are cigarette smok-
ers will be given the option of~nuittIne
the one or the other. 1t is not the dis
position of the executive officers to tenn
porize on the question The edict has
been made and will be strenuously- en-
forced. This is the first time that a rail-
road company has adopted such a course
against cigarettes. That the experiment
will be eagerly watched by other lines
has already been manifested, for other
roads are contemplating the same action
should this prove a success. So far the
results have been encouraging, consider
Ing 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 applicants answer in the
affirmative their applications are consign-
ed 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 obiec-
tonable cigarette he cannot break
into the Rock Islands service with
crOwbar. At the foot of every
application blank issued by the road
there is printed by rubber stamp this
question, DO you smoke cigarettes" The
addition was made about a week ago
Prior to that time and since the adop-
ton 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 seek
ing employment in the service.
We want to discourage cigarette smok-
Ing among our men," said President w.
9. Purdy in discussing the action
Cigarette smoking is a vicious habit and
tends to befog the mind and make one
Iistess 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. In the railroad business, and
especially among the trainmen, It requires
a clear brain to discharge the respon-
sbiiities. The Rock Island road will en-
ploy the best men obtainable, men strong
OF body and head for the work exacts
much and absolutely requires sound per
sons We are always looking to the i'm
provement of the service, and I believe
that the action taken with reference to
the poisonous cigarette will accomplish
good purpose 49,
General Superintendent A J. Hit was
the first to tackle this problem. It was
he who suggested the solution of it 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, augmented, of course,
by the judgment of the most eminent
physicians in declaring the cigarette to
be injurious. Some weeks ago Supt Hit
was in company with supts. Stillwell and
Hobbs, Of other divisions of the Rock
Island system. They were investigating
the actions of an employe of the road
With reference to a matter which was
under consideration at the time when
they overheard a conversation between
the other employees commenting upon the
same question. The latter We're 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 cigarette fiend. The comment
impressed Supt. Hit and he made COM
ment unon It to the other two officials
Ihey then discussed the matter with the
result that week later the embargo on
cigarette smokers was placed and instruc
tions were so issued verbally to the s1I
perintendents and physicians who OK
ahmed applicants for employment If
was also made retroactive so as 10
cover those who are already in the serv-
I've. These viii be given the opportunity
10 gun me cigarette or the road. Since
none has resigned for this cause, 1t IS
presumed that many have quit the Gig
arctic. Just how many users Of the weed
there were on the system the officials
We're unable TO say. They Ventured- \
statement that there were comparatively
few among the 1900 in the entire service.
Though the rule has only been in eff
fect a short time" said General SUPER
ihJendent Hit there has, we believe,
been some -perceptible result When an
application is filed and the applicant
makes an affirmative answer to the aues-
uon whether he smokes cigarettes or not
MS paper is not given moments con-
Slderauon. We are always looking for
a chanca to improve the service even in
the small est things and are quick to adopt
a means to accomplish that end There
Is no doubt that the use of the cigarette
units a man in a measure for work. NV
observation. as well as the opinions OF
eminent physicians, has convinced me the
cigarette Titlates mans capacity. 1t
enerFates him, renders him listiess and
somewhat reckless. A person addicted to
the habit always has a languid feeling
that Is markedly evidenced III the droon-
ing eye and the nervous body And in tba
railroad business one rnustlalways have
a cicar brain, strong nerve, and healthy
BODY to properly carry out his duties. As
IN the case of a dispatcher who has the
running Of trains human life denende
upon him, and a clear head IS absoII,tej1,
necessary. While the rule adopted by
the Rock Island road is somewhat an in
nGVauon, we arc confident that II will
prove successful The effect of it can
readily be seen; it will not take long
for other roads to follow in 10 stnnc If
the Rock Island system. IF the ruIo
should he adopted by all the railroad svz-
tens IN this country and Canada the
cigarette habit will no doubt receive
death blow"