The Oroville weekly gazette. [volume] (Oroville, Wash.) 1905-19??, 1912-05-10
AIRING A CROUCH.
But man, proud man.

AIRING A CROUCH.
But man, proud man!
Drest in little brief authority;
Most ignorant of what he's most as
sur'd,
His CLASSY essence,--like an angry ape,
Plays such fantastic tricks before
high heaven,
AS makes the angels weep"
The man about town, even in a small
place like Oroville, often sees and
hears things that show up peculiar
phases of human life The incidents
may be common place, pathetic, hum
orous. sero-dramatic, an exhibition OF
silly passion, display of demago
gy, cheap manisfestitation of author
ity. bringing into bold relief some
charaC teristic of the actors. General
ly matters OF no particular Importance
or of immediate interest except to the
participants 1t Is a dull and event.
less Gay. indeed, when the man about
towo does not observe something out
of the rut of the ordinary to attract
momentary attention, usually to be
forgotten almost as soon as the incl
dent has passed
A few persons at the depot, as an
illustration of this Introductory state
ment, when the east bound train de-
parted one morning last week were
made unwilling witnesses of an epi-
sOde in which one individual displayed
his authority at the expense of a SUBJ
ordinate. the manner and method of
the procedure being a gratuitous ex-
hibition OF unnecessary fault finding,
anything but creditable to the party
possessing the power to do the call
ing down. The special car of a high
official of the line was attached to the
regular. The high official had had
bad night out, and was primed to see
things in distorted colors. He became
very much wrought up because two or
three electric lights were burning in
the depot, thus criminally consuming
the substance OF the company, and
fastening 1t down grade toward bank
ruptcy He was ignorant of a fact
that he could have easily have ascer-
tanned that many of the lights about
town are on continuously. That the
street lights are permitted to burn
night and day. But this was a woeful
waste and shocking extravaganza, and
approaching the station agent in high
dudgeon demanded In language in
which common courtesy was notice.
ably absent why the lights had not
been turned out. The agent, in his
usual suave manner, explained to the
irate big man that at that hour the
lights were convenience, and fur
thernore the company was paying a
nat rate and there was no extra charge
for Illuminating the premises at that
hour. This did not seem to appease
the official, for he thundered out that
the burning of the lights exhausted
the tulbs, putting the company to the
oppressive expense of replacing them
Again the agent calmly explained that
experiment had demonstrated that
bulbs lasted longer in constant use
than when they were frequently Jared
by the process of turning out. This
expert testimony seemed only to add
fuel to the flames. The official cast
his eyes over the waiting room and
wrathfully wanted to know why the
floor was not swept and the windows
cleaned. This waiting room is swept
every day. but trains arrive late in
the evening and go out early in the
so there is no time to do the
tidyinP until the trains have pulled
out in the morning. This was pointed
cut in courteous language, notwith-
standing the indignity he was called
upon to submit to, but the man of
power beat frantically on the box Of
fee shelf and spluttered Il do not
care tc argue the matter with you"
Now, this scene passed in the pres
ence of two or three bystanders. 1t
was an unseemly display on the part
of one who should set a better exam
pie to those under him, and humili-
ating to a worthy employee, than
whom the company has not more
faithful servant in it's employ. Cour-
Ous,genial and accommodating to all
having business at the station. always
at his post, working many extra hours
without extra compensation, and evi
DENLY without credit, this man is en-
titled to at least fair treatment
through the hands of the powers that
be, and such sessions as this reported
Is not conducive to the encouragement
of effort, nor does it tend to create re-
spect for those in authority.
The incident Is dwelt upon at
length. not because of its being of
grelt interest, but as showing how
unjust some men holding high posi-
tiOns may be in their treatment of sub
ordinates. a procedure that weakens
their influence and contributes moth
ing 10 the efficiency of the service
Also because while the writer did not
overnear the colloQuy. he was within
ear shot of the noise" and was told
of tho couyorcotiop hy ono u,ho 1voc