The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-24
Politicians Have Made Railways
Goat of the Land
Says j. F. FARRELL. Publicity
Agent of the Santa Fe.
A CASE OF NO FIGURES
Incident Where RailrsaderI
Called" a Politician.
Other Items of General Interest
in Traffic World.

]. F. FARRELL, publicity agent of the
Santa Fe mas written the following
article on The Employe and His
Job, for the current issue of Santa
Re Employees Magazine:
| The thing that counts most in the
world today is merit. A man with
ability to accomplish things may
! aspire to the highest job on the list.
/ We, the American people, in casting
about for man for foreman, or SUI
perlntendent, or governor. or presi-
dent, don't ask, Who was your great
grandfather" We ask, What can
you do?"
| We want results. There is no
standing still in this country. We go
forward or We go backward. We de-
mand continued Improvement. We
won't tolerate anything that does not
| spell growth and development. 1t is
a characteristic of our people, our
country and the age in which We live.
Holding down job should mean
more to man than listening for the
whistle and getting his paycheck. Do
not regard this as a reflection upon
the whistle or the paycheck. for both
are of utmost Importance; but the
man with a job should feel a respon-
s1bility in addition to the whistle and
| check factors
The man who has no respect for
his job cannot have much respect for
himself If he respects his job he
will take pride in his work and put
forth his best Icks TO make goo
with his employer. His work will
show merit. The employer will see
results, appreciate the efforts of the
! employe and make appropriate award
for the efficiency shown.
In order that both employer and
employe may be successful in their
aims, there ought to be close cooper
alton between them. The employer
should have the interest of the en-
plcye at heart, and the employe
should take an active interest in the
welfare of his employer. Especially
should this feeling be mutual on the
Santa Fe, for employees of this com-
pany are working for the best rail-
road on earth, and the company has
the best lot of employees that ever en-
gagged in railway service
don't believe that anybody will
question the statement that the Santa.
Fe has done the square thing by its
employees giving them fair wages and
decent hours, providing them with
high-clasS equipment for shop and
rail, thus adding to their comfort and
reducing the element of danger to
the minimum, and building and fur
nishing reading-rooms for the social
and Intellectual diversion of the men
and their families. And, better per-
haps than anything else, the Santa Fe
recognizes and rewards merit. There
is always room at the top for q Santa
Fe man. l am mighty careful about
what l say to an apprentice in the
shops or to a brakeman on the line,
for 1 may be talking to a fellow en-
ploye who will be general manager of
the road before get on the pension
list
The average man is ready in season
and out of season to stand UP for his
family his church, his political party
and his dog. The fellow who attacks
any one of them has fight on his
hands in a minute. I believe that the
| employer should be added to the list
| Santa Fe employees are noted for
their loyalty to the company, but I
what to suggest a bit of service ev-
cry one of us can perform with prac-
ticalIy no effort. and this service will
do all of us good and be of inesti-
mable value to the company. 1t
means, in word, to put the Santa Fe
in the category with the family, the
church, the political party and the
dog.
You know that for several years
there has been agitation against the
railroads-against the Santa Fe-
against us as employees If you please.
Politicians have made the railroads
the goat. They have charged all the
ills of the land to the railroads
Freight rates being a good platform
on which to ride into office, politi-
clans took up the freight rate cry,
and with silver tongues and brazep
extortionate and should be hammered
down. The people, not knowing any
thing about the facts, believed the
story, for there were few to make
answer for the railroads. We as en-
ployes saw the demagog in action and
listened to his vociferation, but sell
dom raised our voices in protest.
I am pleased to report that there has
been a change lately. Employees In
several communities have buckled up
to the politicians and told them where
to head in. The effect in such cases
has been good. Men who make a bust
ness of talking politics, like other folks,
follow the ines OF least resistance. They
jump onto the railroads, thinking that
they have a clear field and viii not
meet with obstacles. When called down
good and strong by railroadmen, these
politicians begin to hedge or drop the
railroads Altogether and take up another
subject.
1 want to tell you of a case in which
a couple Of friends of mine figured.
When the campaign was on last fall
a conductor ard engineer who live in
Newton attended political meeting in
Wichita. The main orator was a noted
railroad batter. who. in his regular
speeches, delivered a fierce TRADE
against the Kansas lines. On this oc-
!, CASTOR h.s nada several wild statements