The labor argus. [volume] (Charleston, W. Va.) 1906-1915, 1907-06-06
A NEW
RIP VAN WRINKLE
[Original.l

| twenty years, the last forty. waiter
had gone to the mountains one summer
with party Of young New York bank
clerks. had got separated from the 9th
ers and had taken four decade nap
Descending the mountain, he footed
1t to Catskill and was surprised 10
come upon n railway station. A train
was pulling out, and he jumped aboard.
The conductor on collecting his fare
punched n printed slip and handed 1t
to him.
"Whnts this?" asked Van Wrinkle.
excess fare"
"WhatIl do with ft?"
The conductor passed on without re
ply, and passenger explained that
the slip was n check on the conductor
to guard against his stealing the fare
collected. Van Wrinkle looked at his
| informant Aghast.
"And the management makes spies
of it's conductors? And they submit
to such sysfcfh?"
Conductors and passengers arc both
the cornpany's spies now"
Van Wrinkle gave low whistle.
"Is this want of trusting to individ.
ual honor confined to railroads."
"By 10 means. No one Is trusted cX-
ccpt the managers and they are trying
to beat one another"
ais there no standard OF hOnor?"
"NO. Once merchant who failed
felt disgraced; now merchants fail in
order to make money"
When Van Wrinkle reached New York
lie went to the banking house where lie
had been employed. 1t was now on
the ground floor OF n thirty story sky
scrnpCr or course he knew no one
there, or, rather. no one knew him.
SO lie wrote note to the president,
Richard Trfmble. who had been clerk
with him forty years before and on the
camping trip Mt which he had disap-
pcared Van Wrinkle was shown into
the presidents private office and re-
ccfvcd with suspicion Not daring t.
give the Rip Van Wrinkle story, he said
he had gone to see the world. He
asked for position, and there being
vacancy in department where large
sums were handled lie was appointed.
The salary was $500 year.
eight hundred year for guarding
millfons"' exclaimed Van Wrinkle.
"All that's changed, Walter. We
don't need to rely on our employees
honesty now; we insure it,"
ENSURE it?"
Eyes. y company for premium
takes the risk"
land do you mean, friend of my boy
hood to insure me-"
AS president OF the bank l can't
help doing so. It's rule made by the
directors"
Then if come III here to work for
yOu am at liberty to beat the bank II
cam"
"Ccrtainy."
"Do you refrain from beating it be
cause of your intcgrity?'
I'D be fool to beat it-IIIcgalIy."
81 see"
Sorry can't do any better for you
Walter. You should have stuck to
business as have instead of roaming
all over the world"
Lot me ask you one question, Dick"
"Cio ahead"
care you an honest man"
Trinblp put his lips to Van Wrinkles
ear and whispered: only in small
things. not in big ones; no petty lar
ccny for me. This is between me and
friend of my boyhood."
ITS taken you years to learn TO be
dishonest Eve learned it in one day.
see it's become the fashion"
"YOu might us well wear plug hat
made Of beaver as to be hongst-thAt
is, what we used to call honest"
81 see. When shall go to worEF
RD'n,pDIrrnIVr If yOu like"
When Van Wrinkle appeared Mt the
bank tie next day he found photo
grnphcr there. President Trimble came
out or his private Office and said:
"You'Il have to he photographed,
Walter"
what for?"
ooh, the rule is to have II photograph
of all our employees. They're easier
caught If they light out with the funds
OF the bank"
"a sort of rOgucs' gallery"
Its for those who become rogUcs.
Most concerns get their clerks together
occasionally ana photograph them in
groups. Makes the boys feel their i'm.
pOrtancc, and the concern has the gal
lcry. But we don't stoop to that We
take picture of every employee be-
fore he begins work"
us there any more of this sort of
thing to Icarn:"
"Ncs; one. You'll have two weeks
vacation during the ycar-two vaca.
lions of one week each ut six months
interval"
II don't want any vacation. | LOST
forty years by my last vacation"
h1PUt Won UuIIsi t.lI:n VnUr NuEo tfpr, -
"Why 500"