New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-05-06
AN USBELIRvER.
1OurN
Hetc- York, April %, 1872
HORsE-CAR AND FERRY-BOAT COURTESY
20 the EdtfO OF The Tribune.


SIR: The letter which you recently printed
under the head Of Republican Courtesy" from lady
lust returned from Europe IL entitled to something more
than q passing notice. She says: "By what possible
right do they American gentemen march straight into
our cabin In the ferryboa and deliberately bt there,
leaving dozen women standingf Shall we thank thelh
for what does not belong TO them TO giye She Is mis-
taken in supposing that the cabin Is the exclusive prop
erty OF the II Is intended for the accommoda-
ton equally OF men and women, and tho men being pres
ent by general consent to be urged that they nave
no claim whatever to seasi Tho men arc just as Likely
to be weary exhausted the women, and therefore,
are entitled to consideration. Your correspondent
draws dolefu picture OF weary mothers" and poor
wordngwomen being deprived Of seats but she forgets
that many hard working men, who have 10 toll from
morning TO night procure bread for their families may
also glad OF seat albeit lady from Europe adorned
in her Silks with every comfort that wealth can procure
may be Obliged stand in her brief transit across the
river But she has found that gentlemen flock into
tho ladies' cabin because their own cabin is offensive
with tobacco smoke etc. This is obviously true The
cabins appropriated gentlemen the ferryboats are
disgusting In the extreme. They are pestlferOs uehs'
reeng with tobacco smoke and tobacco spte ana are
absolutely dangerous 10 health. The prOprttors OF
erryboas harbor such nusanoes ought to be prose-
cuted No wonder the gentlemen make their way into
the ladies' cabins.
with regard to horsecars. t may be remembered that
10 or IS years ago the gentlemen always resigned their
seats to tho ladies. Or If they dld not, they were
likely to DO insuted by tho conductors But
that golden era has passed, and am much
mistaken IL 1t has not been chiefly due 10 inc
donineering seldsness OF 1t Is truo that now
and then lady will thank gentlemen very sweety for
his proercd seat but usually do not observe that Ia
dies bestow any thanks for such favor Some ladies
refuse accept the seats proered by gentlemen at an
cOnsderate. noble women Few IN nninoef,
who believe that the men are entitled To some privileges
we'll as themselves large proportion Oh WOMEN
riding in tho hOrse-cars arc disposed TO occupy more
room than belongs to tbem and show no dlspOtoh 10
accommodate gentlemen who are standing WIN seats.
Such selhshness is disgusting to gentlemen, who rs
consequence less inclined than formerly to prof
fer seats ladies with whom they arc unacqnlnted
Nevertheless It. may be constantly noticed that gentle
man freely pr0fer seats having children IN
their arms; to elderly ladies' to all women who appear
TO taigied exhausted even though IN coarse or
humble garb; but beyond this their republican cour
tesy" seems to be- limited and this Imitation as already
sgQeste is duo to obvious reasons. 80 iar az tho
,lsages aud ferry arc concerned ladies can sue
cee better In teaching gentlemen to be considerable and
polite bv being consilrrate aud polite themselves
NetO YORK, April %. 1872. PHYSICIAN