Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-10-13

When the double track of the Baltimore and
Potomac railroad shall be laid the entire distance
from this city to Baltimore, the travelling public
VIII have good cause Tor congTatnlation The
average running time between the two cities will
doubtless be reduced considerably, ami the pas
sage viii certainly be made with feeling of Sc
curity and safety not now enjoyed These are
things To be thankful for, and they Will be duly
appreciated; but they not all that the people
OF Washington are entitled TO in the premises.
what they want, and what they ought to have, Is
as cheap, quick and comfortable mans OF travel
to New York as the people OF Boston now enjoy
In the matter or comfort there is perhaps not
much difference; but In respect to expense and
Time travellers between the political and CONNER
cfal capitals OF the country are at a sad disad-
vantage as compared with those who travel be-
tween the New England metropolis and New
York. single example viii illustrate this point.
The distance from New York 10 Boston Is greater
than from New York to Washington by some seven
or eight miles, while the advlnt ige OF grades
and curves Is If any thing, also IN fvJr OF the latter
route Yet what DO We see? a limited express
train runs between Boston AMI y w York making
the S34 miles IN exactly SIX hours, the entire
through fare on which is six dJllars, being five
dollars for the railway ticket and one dollar for
the reserved chair seat on the other haa1 the
boosted limited express from Washington to New
York, for distance OF 221 miles, or less requires
six hours and twenty minutes time, while the
fare Is eight dollars and eighty-fiye cents, being
seven dollars for the railway ticket AMI one dollar
and eighty-fve cents for the secured chair. The
explanation OF this difference IS OF course to be
found In the fact that there are competing lines
OF travel between New YORK ami Boston, whereas
none exist for the entire dist tnca between New
York and Washington. But even with this al
vantage In the hands of the present line the
difference should not be 50 great as It is.
The suggestion has been made In western
paper that Saturday be chosen as the day Tor
national Jhanksgtving5, instead OF THURSDAY, and
the proposition seems to meet with general favor.
NO reason Is known, 50 far as we have seen the
matter discussed, why Thursday was selected
originally, as the time for this special festival,
but 1t seems to have been generally adopted lat
terry, both by the Governors OF the seyersl states
and by The President, for the reason apparently
that there was precedent for such course. The
principal argument in favor OF the proposed
change Is that II Saturday be chosen the thous-
andS or people who go TO the old family home to
celebrate the occasion would thus be able to enjoy
TWO holidays instead OF one, as now, without
material loss OF working time Ii objection be
made from any cause to Saturday, then it is sug-
geSted that Monday be chosen instead of Thurs
day, By which arrangement substantially the
same end may be accomplished. A number OF
religious papers favor the change, and, SO far as
We have seen, none of them object to it
Those who have held to the theory that girls are
less apt scholars than boys, or have not as good
staying powers, must re-examine their charts and
take new bearings. AT the recent examinations
for admissions TO the Free College or New York,
where minimum grade OF IS per cent was re-
quired TO admit, SIX hundred and sixty-six girls
out OF total Of nine hundred,-being II per
cent-reached the standard, whereas only IS per
cent OF the boy applicants were able TO pass the
test One girl, furthermore. reached an average
OF %. being much higher tnan any boy was able
10 touch. Precisely the same q estlons were
asked both sexes. The intellectual lnferority-of-
woinsn idea that one hears advanced a good deal
now days isn't worth much in the face OF such
facts as these.