The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-12-11

1 from the STANDPOINT or economical
operation the office employe can live in
| Topeka cheaper than in Chicago or
l Kansas City. Living in Topeka is as
/ cheap as in any city of the United
1 States. The laborer in Topeka can
support his family at a less cost and
save larger percentage of his month
| ly earnings than in a city twice the
/ size. 1t is to the advantage of the
employe that this is SO. Unless the
1 employe is thrifty the employee is the
from the Santa Fe side of this situa-
! ton.
What does the permanent estab-
lishment of these Offices mean to To-
peka?
| "First-That the monthly pay roll
| in the general and shop offices is not
| far short of 100000 per month. This
is practically all expended in the city.
Such as is not required for the actual
| living expenses Of the employe is in
vested here. Santa Fee employees are
builders of residences and homes, in
vestors in real estate and in the insti-
therefore, how advantageous to the
| city and the community at large are
these offices from a strictly CONNER
| cial standpoint.
add materially to the social Importance
| of the city. These employees and their
| families are among the most highly
respected, the most educated. the most
| courteous of our population. They
are of a class which lends strength
socially, morally and educationally to
| the life of this or any other town.
teThird-The business man recog-
nizes the Santa Fe employe as an in
| dividual with established credit. 1t is
we'll known among merchants that the
Santa Fe employe pays his bills. Gar
nishments of wages of Santa Fe en-
ployes are few.
"Fourth-The city must recognize
1 IT,,
eral way these offices contribute much
| TO the educational progress and well
| fare. The young man or young woman
| leaving high school and DESTROYS of
an education IN practical business at
| fairs can do little If any better than to
secure a position in these Offices.
| "Fifth-The general offices of the
Santa Fe may be compared in this re-
spect to great business college, in
fact, a business university with an at
tendance equal to the number of peo-
1 pie employed. These offices furnish
promotions rather than diplomas.
When the young man has shown him
self proficient he is given greater re-
of promotion. A promotion from a
great business school like this. with a
position at a remuneratfve salary, is in
actual life more important as a guar
antee of bread and butter than a di-
ploma certifying to completed course
| of study with no position, and no
recommendation as to the ability to
assume a responsible position.
at is not intended that this should
in any way deprecate the important
work of our great schools and educa-
tional institutions, but is intended to
show, and I think logically, that such
an institution as the general offices of
the Santa Fe railroad are as impor-
tant. in fact of much more value to
| Topeka, than the location of the larg-
est college, or university of whatever
kind located in any other city in the
| United States of America.
! Santa Fe office employees, and citi-
/ zens of Topeka owe to you and your
management that hearty cooperation
which bespeaks the highest success and
greatest good. You as employers owe
your employees and to the people of
| Topeka at all times the most reason
able consideration in all matters of
| the individual and public good"
| Mr.. MacLennan's Talk.
Frank P MacLennan said:
Il was asked to make little talk
here tonight. When I said: What shall
talk about?' the reply came: Talk
| about five minutes I said That is
all right and long enough. but I mean
| the subject
about 1.-The Big Men of the Santa Fe.''
| saw several large serious mistakes
were made in the selection of the speak
err and in telling him to undertake to
| say something about the big men of
| the Santa Fee in five minutes. Why, it
| would take several days to even give L
list of them.
There are more than 1000 Santa Fe
men, and all of them are big men or
think they will be some day; or ought
| to be, or have the making Of big meu
| If them: else they have no business
connecting themselves up to big sys-
TEN like the Santa Fe.
| 1.-The Big Men of the Santa Fee
- ~ ~ r
which I have ever been assigned. 1t
| is to the credit of each one of those
$4,000 that so far as 1 have observed,
every one of them thinks his depart
nlent is about the biggest and most
important of any on the system.
Nearly all the big men of the Santa
Fe today were little men a few years
ago, and many of the smaller men to-
day are going to be the big men OF
| the Santa Fe later on.
"All of the big men of the Santa Fe
are ont here with US tonight-more's
the pity, but they are here In our
| hearts; they are dear to our memories
for we are all Santa Fe men here
tonight. They had big ideas which are
| carried out by the big Santa Fe men
| of today They laid foundations broad
and deep which are builded upon to-
day.
whose memory we all revere, the
| father of the Santa Fe. who started
the road at Topeka, from which point
it radiated in three directions; first
down to Emporla, then up to Atchi-
son. later over to Kansas City, and
now it extends from Topeka to Gal
weston. from Topeka to Los Angeles
and San Francisco, and by w. B.
Strong from Topeka to Chicago-al-
ways Topeka the hub and the home
| of the system.
There was Edward Wilder, the
treasurer for a generation. He was
one of the big men of the Santa Fe,
and he left the impress of his
answering integrity and ability on
that system He left his influence
upon Topeka, for he had great pub
lie spirit. He, more than anyone else.
gave us our city library He was al