The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1906-05-04
/. FILIPINO RAILROAD MEN.
Natives in Manila Take Readily 70
the Work Of Operating Elec-
trio Lines.

The experiment made in depending
solely on native Filipinos to man the
cars of the Manila Electric railway has
proved eminently successful. Although
this kind Of help was used exclusively
In building the lines. which were opened
20 traffic last April, it was feared by
some that a certain well-known ten
dency toward unreliability in the ma
tive character would manifest itself in
the new work, more exacting than any
natives had heretofore been called upon
TO perform in numbers since the Amer
lean occupation.
ut is generally known" said P. E.
Fansler, assistant to the president of
the New York company, by which the
system was built and operated, chat
the natives are wonderfully quick to
learn up to certain point, where a
childish unrelfability has blocked fur
Their progress in the attainment of a
thoroughly civilized status. That it is
rather matter of proper and we'll di-
rected tuition seems to be the lesson in
the present case. AS was generally an
ticipated, the operating manager in
Manila, Mr.. Belden, met with instan-
taneous success in instructing the ma
i've mind in the technic of street car
operation, but contrary to general an
ticipation the usual bette noir-instabil-
ity-seems to have been quite thorough
" overcome.
1T is felt now that the native has
lived up to. the requirements of the Job
fully as we'll as the white man could
have done under any conditions and
probably better, taking the climate into
consideration" said he. cit must be
remembered that to operate modern
electric car in the crowded streets of
an oriental city, where the traffic and
pedestrians are absolutely at variance
and unaccustomed to so foreign an ele-
ment. calls for the full measure Of steadi-
ness and resourcefulness to avoid acct
dent. 1t is fact that under these try
Ing conditions the Manila Electric rail-
way is being operated with what may
justif1ably be considered minimum of
accident and that through the demon
stration by the Filipino motorman of
his full possession of those very quail
ties that the more cursory examiners
have declared to be wanting. Fully to
appreciate the peculiar demand for
steadiness one must have had expert
ence in trying to progress through the
streets of far eastern metropolis. Pc
destrians use the roadway very often in
common with vehicles and may gener-
ally be persuaded to make way only
when their lives are actually in danger.
A narrow escape from death is uniform
ly treated as a good joke, not only by the
observers, but by the principal as we'll.
| Under the circumstances the almost
complete freedom from serious accident
in the operation of the line is decidedly
noteworthy. The conductors, too, uni
formly show the ability to live up to the
requirements of their work. They per-
form their duties expeditiously and with
tact and are, moreover, quite honest.
These facts are significant of the
possibilities in the native Filipino char
acter when given just opportunity to
display itself and will prove especially
interesting to Americans watching the
| Industrial development of the islands"