The Black Hills union and western stock review. [volume] (Rapid City, S.D.) 1904-19??, 1904-02-26
RECOGNIZED DAT|0N
LETTERS BELOW PAR
They Are Quoted at Is Cents
a Barrel by a Big Em-
ployer.
BOND is WANTED NOW
This New System Is in Vogue in the
Commercial World Railroad
Employees Need Clear
ance Papers.

Somewhere within the last twenty
gears the letter of recommendation,
which once was regarded as one of the
necessary equipments Of the person
seeking a position in the business
world, seems to have passed as eff
~fectually and as permanently as have
the p~lesiosaurus and the ~megatherium,
says the Chicago Tribune.
Il came here several years ago and
mad application for this position
said the asher Of one of the big bank
ing institutions in Chicago. In max
ing the application 1 felt that l had
one or two letters In particular that
would back me up as strongly as could
be required, but on the morning or the
appointment with the management l
came downtown, leaving every line Of
recommendation at home.
II was troubled beyond measure
when I reached for these papers and
could not find them, but the bank Of
ticials went on talking Of the position
and it's needs, aud when l finally left
thai l would get the place. I was to
coll again in a few days, and this time
when T went in you may be sure l had
my letters. But almost instantly the
president Of the institution announced
that the position had been given to me:
Il was startled to think that it could
have been accomplished without the
necessity OF my producing the best of
these letters, and l at once diVed into
my pocket in order to present the let
tiers as additional assurance that the
bank a not made a mistake in the
choice.
Quoted at IS Cents a Barrel.
"'It is not necessary for us to look
at them said the president, not even
l,D1I;-~. o,-t 1ic how'd To rnoaiUa fhnr
For several years now we have quoted
these letters at IS cents a barrel and
recently we have decided that there is
no money in them at that price I've
got those letters somewhere at home
still, but I feel sure that in any event
they are not worth storage room for
any possible good they might do me IN
the business world"
The gradual disappearance OF the
conventional letter Of recommendation
seems to have followed naturally the
growth Of the worlds business and the
multiplying of the operatives neces-
sary to it in it's present complications.
The time was when in the New Eng
LAND states a person removing from
one settlement to another expected to
ask of three or foul village officials and
authorities their signatures to a let
ter recommending his services to
whomsoever the letter might concern
There were just enough of these sigma
lures Of diversified character to 1nd1-
cate that the person recommended
stood we'll in all the walks Of village
life.
Later the word of the pastor Of g
church was much in demand, especial
ly by the young persons of the church
who had not a opportunity to carr
business and social character. AS civ
ilization and it's complications spread
however, and as it became common fol
q person to carry these letters a thou
sand miles or more into utterly strange
sections Of the country, the ease viii
which certain men could sign letter!
of recommendation Tor the most un.
worthy, rather than refuse outright
soon proved the possible WOrthlessnes
of any such paper.
Bonding Supplants Use of Letters
Influenced by this in perhaps grea
measure, the system OF bondlng TN
person who was taken into a position
of especial trust was evolved out o
conditions. Under this system an,
person who might be able to write
telling letter of introduction for an ap
plicant for an important position, a
once fell. into the necessity of shown
cause why rather han a mere letter 9
recommendation, he should refuse t
offer to go on his bond for the faithfu
performance Of his duties. With a
offered and acceptable bond In pros
pect, the letter naturally would be
come redundant.
Just as this letter Of recommending
has lost its influence and disappeared, tn
necessity for bonding employees ha
grown. This bon requirement has bee
denounced by some observers of men an
things as having gone too far. Tn
ground has been taken hat many a ma
whose capabilities and natural honest
would nave fitted him for positions thu
shSuld be his for the best interests of 81
-ciety, has been allowed to remain GU
side because Of some, dishonest perso
who through a security company is alb.
TO furnish bond that no friend could a
ford to sign. Not only this, but the Gu
tom has made the bond easier to exa'
of everybody, and with the growing di
position of all men to avoid tndorsing tt
q ne q friend MANY q narSon of al