The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-10-23
A Fitting, or rather Splitting, Plan.

A Fitting, or rather Splitting, Plan.
A proposition Is started for sptting-cars
and expectorating saloons for leading lines
OF travel. These are as much needed az
smoking-cars. The vulgarity OF splitting
amber over the floors OF railway-cars is
monstrous We trust it is true that no
country but America tolcrates anything OF
this character. The exception is mortify-
ing, but then il is gratifying that there is
but one exception. The chief provocation
to this excessive flow OF saliva is the staple
crop which forms so large part OF the ex-
port trade OF the country. 1t is used
in all countries and very freely used in
the most civilized lands; and yet the
people in those lands do not make beasts
of themselves by polluting the travelling
apartments OF railways until they almost
rival the cattle-trains by their soiled condi-
ton.
In these days OF trails to ladies dresses it
is an abomination to sec them dragged in
the flood that mandates the ears. The saliva
elected by vulgar and needless chewers will
in few hours travel spread over the floor
numerous pools, whose outlines describe
oceans and seas and rivers so we'll that any
tolerable student OF geography can point
out the lakes, and the Yellow sea, and the
German ocean, and the Zuvder Zee, and
Winnipissiogee, while the Mississippi, es-
corted by Reel-Foot lake, is heading for the
door, Poor lady, sweet lady, what siege
you endure in any effort to keep your feet
and your skirts out OF these liquid nuisances
that gradually invade the floor! Neglect
for moment the care Of holding those
skirts, which should be ever clean, and down
they drop into the sea of filth. Mrs. PART
ISGTOS's undertaking to keep out the sea
were light work compared to yours, dear
passenger, to keep above and out OF the
vulgar invasion which persons pretending
to be gentlemen often subject you to.
It has long seemed to us that the nuisance
Of splitting upon tue floor in American rail-
ways was one that demanded the most posi-
tive and rigidly-enferccd rules. 1t is mat
ter OF sufficient urgency for its offensiyencsS
to justify the passage OF a law to help the
railway companies to protect their passen-
gers. In a civilized land every gentleman
should put away his quid if he cannot keep
it in his mouth without making Il beastly
circle around him. No man who spirits his
amber about him should be considered
gentleman, but should be made to change
his seat to car where all are "spirterS,"
and where none would have the right to
axe offepce. Cars for that purpose should
be supplied with "scuppers to drain of
the flood to save those from drowning who
slip in its "slddery" current. Falling
Into the shocking Baltimore basin would be
far preferable to fall into the sea OF "to-
bacce-juice.'
1t is not matter merely for ridicule and
satire. The nuisance is very serious
grievance Society ought to provide rem
edy against it, as it might do by visiting
upon vulgar tobacco-chewers, who have no
more consideration than to offend every
body by their bad habits, the most severe
Such man deserves not respect,
and should be excluded from civil conven-
tionality.
Surely there is some way Of protecting
the travelling public from one of the most
shocking OF nuisanceS.