The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-08-11
RAILROAD NEWS.
Engineer H. G. Rust Makes
Some Suggestions.
Cut Out the Junket Features of
Engineers Conventions.
THE NORFOLK MEETING
Wasting 81, 900 Day on Idle
Amusements.
Searching Letter in the Interest
of Reform.

Tn the August number of the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers journal
appears a communication from H. G.
Rust, one of the best known Santa Fe
engineers running out of this place
The gist of the open letter to the mem
beers of the brotherhood is a plea for
more Industrious application Of the del
egates to the general convention of the
order to the duties at hand. Mr.. Rust
writes from the attitude of one who has
borne his share of the labors which
have fallen to the lot of this great or
ganization, having represented the To-
peka lodge at no less than eight of the
meetings held in various cities of the
country The article appears over the
nom de plume of 'Kurnel Rice but it
has plainly the mark of Mr.. Rusts in
dividuality. 1t is as follows:
Dear Brother Charley-I am con-
strained to write you this to give ex-
preston to the thoughts forced upon
me after reading the accounts in the
= Norfolk papers of the doings of the G.
]. D. at it's recent session in that city
/ was quite favorably impressed in
reading the address of the governor of
Virginia at the opening exercises, but
when I read in the succeeding papers
the accounts of the various pleasure
excursions taken, 1 could not dispel the
been made aware of the fact that the
men he was addressing and lauding so
highly for integrity and honesty of
purpose were at that very moment
meditating on the expenditure of sew
eral days time at a cost to their con-
stituency of about $4,000 per day for the
sole purpose of giving themselves a
treat of pleasure and amusement,
hardly think he would have been so
generous of his fulSome praises.
Now l am free to admit the theory
of an old-time saying, that "all work
and no play makes Jack a dull boy
but I believe all will agree with me
that the reverse of this saying would
be productive of equally disastrous re-
suits to the forensic abilities of any
man or body of men. I certainly do
not object to any or all the brothers
seeing all there is to see. and enjoying
all there is to enjoy, but let them be
stltuents and transact the business they
are sent to transact first, and then
take all the time they want for per-
sonal enjoyment and sightseeing.
certainly think that if the spirit had
prevailed that ought to at all gather
ings of a similar nature they would
from an economical point of view, not
only for themselves but their employ
ers, the railway companies, have adopt
ed a plan to reduce the number of del
egates at least One-half. SO that any
fair-sized city could easily accommo-
date and care for them. 1t would not
be such burden on the railway COM
panies and the expenses for each MEM
Der would be reduced to minimum.
whereas as it now is each member of
the order will be assessed from three
to six dollars to reimburse their dele
gates for time lost and expenses.
Now Charley, hope you will deem
this worthy of a place in the Journal.
/ expect to receive some severe roasts
from the element that consider the trip
a ''junketing affair." but believe all
honest thinking brothers will agree
with me. I am I think fully prepared
to Withstand all attacks, as I have
spent nearly forty years riding a loco
motive and four years. from 1861 to
1865, on the fighting line, and am pretty
we'll Injured to hardships and privations
of most any kind. and a little tongue
flashing won't hurt me. Seriously, ]
meant to enter a most rigid protest
against the customary misuse of time
and funds belonging of right to the
membership at large, and I'm agin
IT." Los Angeles. Cal, is equally ii
not more famous for it's ability to give
pleasure excursions and show inter
esting sights than Norfolk. and I hope
the brothers will have thought this
matter over, fully prepared to make g
radical reform on these lines and adopt
plan to rid the body of it's unwieldy
proportions. Frat yours.
KURNEL RICE.