The weekly Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1911-1922, 1911-08-24
COURTESY

know that the Illinois Central and
the Yazoo & Mississippi Valley rail-
road companies have issued &c their
employees an interesting bullet Oh
"The Value of Courtesy"
The diseourteous and surly, indie
PENDENT and even insulting conduct
of railway employees, more especially
noticeable In station agents, Is so
general that the public will welcome
this pamphlet on courtesy as tley
would a rain in the midst Of
drouth. 1t is indeed high time that
railway companies took cognizance cf
the importance and also the need for
the education of their wor.;ue Ill
the very desirable and valuable fine
zion of courtesy.
The diseourtesies of railway en-
ployes has been one of the import
snt things which has brought on the
public feeling against railway corpor-
ations. feeling shown in the judg-
ments rendered by iuries and in some
unwise laws passed by legislatures.
These two companies are to be
praised and encouraged for their
progress in this direction. The work,
taken up and impressed by all rail
way companies, is sure to result in
an increase of travel because of the
increased pleasure of it. and change
IN the public attitude toward rail
WAYS generally from that Of resent
snent to that of friendliness because
ef the kindly and careful eourtasies
shown to all under all circumstances.
The pamphlet quotes literally from
Lord Chesterfield. Among other good
and practical suggestions are the fol-
lowing:
1fThe patrons of road are Pc
euliariy nervous when making
Journey, the cause for this undoubt-
edly being due to the sensations in
eident to the disturbance of their
daily habits and routine. The phleg-
matte German may be as uneasy as
fhe emotional Frenchman or the vo-
-tiserous 1rishman. 1t requires care
full discrimination, however, to re-
eoenize this. It NAV be accepted as
o general proposition that a large
percentage of the passengers on a
train are in a more or less abnormal
condition. ranging from uneasiness to
positive bysteria, or nervous prostra-
ton In many cases. passengers so
affected have succeeded in doing
themselves bodily harm. This indi-
Gates that unusual. conditions exist
Sn a mild form with nearly all pas
sengers unused to railroad travel.
Unlike sea travel, which has a sooth-
ing effect, railroad travel, be the rea-
SON what it may, has the opposite eff
feet on all but those habituated to it.
This semidementia commences when
the patron arrives at the ticket win
dow, and remains until the journey
Is ended and normal conditions are
restored by rest and quiet.
The things which seem to irritate
the patrons of railroad, are, at
times. incomprehensible to the agents
conductors, or other employees, with
whom such patrons come in contact.
They are, apparently. passing emo
lions brought about by the tempo
rary excitement of mental condition
which is abnormal. Such patrons
NAV ask questions which may seem
irrelevant; they may make unreason-
able demands, or demands that can
not be complied with. Dismissal. to
be obtained through influence. is fire.
quently threatened in the attempt to
obtain discrimination or preferential
attention No attention should be
maid to such singularities- othing
personal is intended.
"Questions must be answered care
fully and correctly. and with a
ehserfuIness that does not repel nor
discourage the questioner. They
ma seem irrational. or even silly;
Il must he remembered. however
chat the railroad. with its complex
and changing rules and schedules, is
10 greater or less extent. a mys-
teri to some eighty millions Of
people-even the experts are put u