The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-02-13

makes railroad the best managed
proposition In the world.
The impression should not be gained
that In this transmission of orders, of
passing authority from the highest to
the lowest, ones individuality is lost.
The personal qualifications of a rail-
road man compose his stock in trade.
There must be strong individuality.
There are emergencies where commu-
nication with superior officer is i'm
possible and subordinate Is thrown
on his own resources. Then the pos
session or lack Of q quick-acting brain
comes out.
And in this connection say, with
out fear Of successful contradiction,
that in no line Of work to-day does
mans progress depend so much upon
his capability. in no line is it 80 much
"up to the man" and in none is there
"up to the mainland in none Is there SO
little paternalism as in the transporta-
ton of individuality is evidenced by
the fact that few railroad men aban-
don their work for other lines of bust
ness, and when they do they usually
return.
Act Quickly.
Tact, decision, executive ability, in
tegrity, judgment of human nature, all
these are required to make success
full railroad officer. He must surround
his every official move so that he will
be prepared to give an explanation for
his every act. He must be logician,
figure out everything; do nothing hap
hazard, and above all things he must
train himself to act quickly. as rail-
road, notwithstanding its business, is
so arranged in the way of system that
speed is usually the essence Of all
moves.
One more point would emphasize,
that is the importance of being abso-
lutely just to all, be they high or low
in rank. No higher compliment may
be given a managing officer than the
steadfast belief of his subordinates
that he will not permit injustice to be
done them.
The Ethics Of Prise Giving.
The question regarding the Ethics
of Prize Giving is one that is of in
terest to US all. Prize-giving has been
a custom prevalent in the world for
ages. The Greeks, 1000 years before
Christ, celebrated their feasts with
games in which contests such as box
ing, wrestling, foot-racing and like
sports were INDUCED in and prizes
given to the victors. The Romans were
accustomed to hold prize-contests of
various kinds. Virgil tells US of a
certain celebration at which Arneas
bestowed prizes upon the victors in
the athletic contests. But it was prob
ably long before the day of Greek or
the Roman that prize-giving original
ed. Perhaps it began among the early
savage tribes when two men struggled
together for the mastery and he who
proved himself the stronger carried
of the property of the vanquished OPP
ponent as his prize.
However, as to the precise time
when prize-giving originated we are
not concerned. It is sufficient for us
to know that this custom has grown
and developed with mankind for ages
until 1t ID today fixed habit Of the
race. And SO 1t is naturally interest
ing to consider whether this practice
has been for good or for evil. For If
we decide that prize-giving is ethical,
we must also be willing to admit that
1t is for the betterment of mankind,
and II we find that 1t is not ethical we
must then say that 1t has had de-
grading effect upon humanity and
should be done away with.
The expression, prize-giving. is a
very general term and includes count
less forms of prizes offered under
every conceivable condition. Prizes
are offered in the churches and in the
stores, in the schools and In society;
to the athlete, and the scholar, to the
crafty and the clever, for endurance,
for courage. for speed, for strength
and for hundred other things which
it is unnecessary for me to mention
here. Suffice it to say, that in these
days prize-giving is found almost
everywhere.
II should attempt here to take up
all the different kinds of prize-giving
and discuss their merits and defects I
should soon weary you as well as my
self. But such is not my intention in
this paper. purpose here to deal
only with the larger principles which
lie at the basis Of all prize-giving and
to endeayor to discover, II can wheth-
er they in themselves are worthy prin-
ciples and after having considered
these, to turn and examine the results
of prize-giving upon the contestants
for the prizes, and If we find that there
is more benefit obtained from prize
giving than there is harm done, We
shall admit that priie-giving is ethical.
But II we find that while prize-giving
does some good yet upon the whole
It has q bad effect then we must adj
NIT that 1t is .unethical.
Let me then turn first to the ex-
animation OF the principles upon which
prize-giving 10 founded. What is the
demand In human nature that has re-
suited in the practice Of prize-giving?
/ have. come to the conclusion that
there are two main desires In the hui
man nature that are supplied by prize
giving. The, first 10 the desire to see
power displayed. to see man pitted
against man. each bending his Efforts
towards some end with all the
strength that he possessed. It was
such q desire that. led the Greeks to
establish the Olymphian games where
they might see the best men pitted
against each other exerting every
ounce Of strength that was IN their
bodies. II e this same desire 10 see
men exerting their strength that has