Evening journal., 1903-09-09
A RAIL WAYS NEW MOVE
Erie Roads Plan to Promote
Its Employees.
AN AGE LIMIT AGREED UPON.

Recently Engaged Clerks who at
the Age Of Thirty-hve Have Not
Made Records In Their Work Are
Requested TO Rssizn-Actfon Talk
en- 20 Protect ola Men.
The Erie railroad has promulgated
an order calling for the designations Of
all clerks recently engaged who at the
age Of thirty-nve have not advanced,
says the New York American.
The designations must be forwarded
10 the Offices Of the company within
few days because the officials feel that
there IS no chance for men who at
thirty-nve have not demonstrated their
executive ability.
Tho men who are doomed to leave
nre those who have entered the com
pany's employment since May l, 1901,
and IN an apologetic way the officials
say that there arc comparatively few |
who will be affected. In the future, /
however, no man who has reached the /
age limit win be given employment In
the clerkship grade by the big railroad. |
'Men who have become thirty-flve /
without succeeding Mt something else |
have little chance 10 take up railroad
work." IS the explanation Of Secretary
Granville a. Richardson.
President Underwood, however, does
not put It IN the same way. He says:
"The road owes a duty TO men in its /
employ for the major part Of their
lives. II IS constantly making provision
for these men. IL Is an injustice to
them 10 have men who have seen
their best days IN other lines enter our
employ. II Is 10 protect our old en-
ployees that the order IS issued. II Is
fair 70 assume that n man who has
worked at some other Business for the
better part OF hts life is too well
grounded to be Of special value to
railroad company. The aim IS 10 EN-
ploy young men who wish TO make rail
noadlng their business"
''rhe employment and training Of
railroad employees Is a great problem,
which can best be appreciated by those
who are frequently the victims OF bad
judgment IN railroad offices. This is
what we are trying 20 remedy" said
Secretary Richardson.
I'VE do not say that man who has
been IN the railroad business for some
years IS useless at thirty-fve II he has
not advanced. for he has at least learn
ed the routine The fact that he is still
I'm the business, however. shows that
there has been some defect in the sys-
tenn that kept him when he was young.
lie should have been dropped long be-
fore
"Railroa6Ing principles should be
! taught while the brain is young. The
younger the better. and in the future
any man who asks us for employment
will have TO give very strong explana-
ton of why he has failed in other ca
pacltles II he Is anywhere near thirty
five
"Our idea now "a to get as many
bright young boys as possible to go on
the lowest rounds of the ladder to ad-
vance the others 10 the vacancies that
Will be made. BY always having good
material at the bottom II will be possi-
bic 10 advance the various grades as
the good Jobs at the top are opened, in
stead Of going TO other companies TO
get high salarled men while our own
wonder why 1t happens that way.
"F'irst we want to protect our old
men, and. secondly. make It unneces-
sary to go to other offices for good en-
ployees."
Ia view Of this action Of the Erie 1t
is interesting TO note tAe men who
have accomplished things after the age
of thirty-fvs.
Julius Caesar was thirty-nine years
old before he received HIS first impor-
tnnt military command.
Oliver Cromwell was a very unlmpor-
tant figure until he was nearly forty,
when he girded on the nrmor which
few years later began to identify him
with England's history.
!, Christopher Columbus was nearly
forty when he went TO Ferdinand and
Isabella with his plan for the discov-
cry Of new continents, ana It was not
until no was forty-six that he started
on HIS voyage.
;, General Grant was town character
in the west until be was almost forty.
George Washington had settled back
into the indolent life Of q Virginia
planter when, at forty-two be was
called upon to undertake the great
, work which resulted i'm our freedom.
Admiral Farragut was still a navy
? captain at afty-four, and II was in the
: later years Of his life that he became a
distinguished admiral.
, At forty Lord Nelson had done little
p and was involved personally and po-
litically. yet seven years after he died
on the deck Of the Victory one Of Eng
! lands most famous men.
Q William the Conqueror was forty
when he was crowned king of Eng
land. and he afterward earned his title.
Napoleon at forty and in the five
!. subsequent years OF his life was at the
height of his career.
Martin Luther was thirty-eight be-
fore the world began TO hear from him
in a way that changed religious his
tory.
Abraham Lincoln was forty-nine
when in his discussions in his sena-
torlal campaign the country first heard
bis antislavery utterances.
To De SCULPTOR.