The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-21
The Time Issue.

me Time Issue.
! The Council expected probably when il
! adopted standard time that it would be pc
/ titloned to return to sun time. The petit
/ ton on the time question, which was pre-
/ sented to it at its last meeting, could hardly,
therefore, have been regarded with sur
| prise. 1t was not reasonable TO
suppose that the change in the
/ to all the people of the city. In fact, 1t is
/ quite safe to say that the Council knew it
would not be The question which it felt
! called upon TO consider was whether a
change from sun to standard time would
not be acceptable to a very great majority
CT the people, and also beneficial to the city.
! This question was presented to the public in
resolution offered by Alderman Duncan,
and two weeks given for its cons deration.
| The public appeared to agree with the af-
| frmauve of it because no marked opposi-
ton to the proposed change of time was
brought 10 the attention Of TIE Council. The
Council had a right to expect, there
| fore, that Alderman Duncan's resolu-
ton would be generally acceptable. But in
addition 70 the impression which the Council
obtained from the Indifference of the public,
its Judgment was in favor of tie resolution.
Its observations and the arguments which
had been presented to it in favor of stand
ard time had convinced il that the pro
posed change would be of benefit to the
city. and would abolish many in
conveniences and annoyances result
ing from the two kinds OF time
Having acted deliberately, therefore,
and having given fair notice of tie
proposition to make a change 1t cannot
now rescind its action without placing
itself in the position of having acted hastily,
and without that careful regard for the
comfort and welfare Of the pc ople which
so important a matter demanded.
The change in time that was made the
other day was not the first one Two years
ago standard time was adopted, and shortly
afterward, in obedience to the demands of
some very energetic and persistent gentle
men, there was a return to sun time. The
fact that there has been return to standard
time, after two years of the annoyances of
two kinds of time, seems to justify the con-
clusion that standard time is an imperative
necessity.
OF course everybody cannot have their
way in a matter Of this kind. If the Coun-
Gil were to 90 back TO sun time there would
be doubtless more manifestations of dissat-
isfaction than there were when the change
to standard time was made.
The city is gradually adapting itself to
the changed time. The difficulties which
were noticed Immediately after the change
was made are disappearing, and they will
soon be forgotten. Indeed many will won
der why they ever complained
of standard time. There are some,
doubtless, who will continue their
opposition to it for quite long while. That
is their privilege, and nobody has right TO
find fault with them if they wish to con-
tinue to regulate their affairs by sun time.
The Council, however, cannot permit itself
TO be guided by them, because it is not act
ing for the minority, but for the ma jority.
Having decided that the greater number of
people will be satisfied with standard time,
and that the city's interests will be pro-
moted by that time, it cannot consistently
reverse its action unless it becomes con-
WINGED that it has made mistake When
it first adopted standard time it did not give
that time fair trial IL returned TO sun
time before the people had "a chance to find
out how much better it was TO have stand
ard time than to be annoyed by two kinds
of time. II it had shown a little sitter
backbone then standard time would have
been established here long ago.