The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-04-26
AN ADVANCE.

1t is announced that after May / no Sun
day freight trains will be run on the Van
derbilt lines Of railway. This order is a
concession to the growing Christian senti-
ment in favor of more strict observance
of the Sabbath The demand for this
grows louder every year, and runs against
everybody and every concern which per
forms unnecessary or even necessary labor
on the fl st day of the week. Railway
managers are pleaded with, Sunday news
papers are scored and the pro
prietors of pleasure gardens are de-
uOunced, and still with all this cutlery
thu Sunday violation, if not Dissertation,
does not lessen. The Christian element
will congratulate itself on its victory over
the Vanderbilt lines, and the other ele-
ments, together with all the other railways,
will interestedly watch the experiment.
1t is an experiment, the outcome Of which
cannot be foretold. If it shall succeed on
the roads named, THE HERALD has enough
faith in the Christian sentiment Of rail
way managers to believe the running
of unnecessary trains will be generally dis
continued. We do not agree with the Sun
day-observing enthusiasts that all those
who labor on the Lords day are either sin
full, or that they are willfully wicked. We
do not believe that railway managers run
freight trains on Sunday because they like
to show their contempt for the day, or de
light in compelling men to break the divine
commandment. We do believe that, take
them as a whole, if the men who control
the railroads could be shown that the pub
lie would submit to strict observance of
the Sabbath, they would require the per
Torrance of no labor on Sunday which was
not absolutely required.
1t has been objected heretofore by rail
way men, that it was impossible to stop
running freight trains on Sunday without
greatly increasing the cost Of transporta-
ton. They point out that to be honest i'll
the discontnulnce, the practice must be
stopped all along a line, and not merely
at the termini. as it is Just as sinful
and just as demoralizing to work at one
point as another. To shut down every
where means the imposition OF a tax which
the railway people say the public would
protest against more than they do against
Sunday labor. Let US illustrate: The
freight train hands in the employ of the
Union Pacific number some thousands: at
i o'clock Saturday night freight trains,
wherever they may be, stop, and for
twelty-fOur hours they are still. the
men observing the Sabbath and drawing
the days wages although they have
earned nothing. The days payroll aggre-
gates thousands of dollars on the line
named, and the money, however much it
may amount to, must come from the people
who patronize the road. The officials ask,
viii those who censure them for keeping
trains moving on Sunday be content if
fifteen per cent. is added to all their freight
bills. The query is pertinent one, and
furnishes an argument which a good
many really pious business men do not
like to encounter. It IS 4 com
paratively small matter to avoid sending
freight trains from terminal points
on Sunday, but a train once started it must
continue on the move till its destination,
say railway men.
There is undoubtedly good deal Of I'M
necessary work on railways on Sundays.
Extra trains and excursion trains are run,
hOJ BECAUSE IuSA are hSSS9SdLS Iol IAS
public welfare, but because there is more
money in them for the companies. Against
this kind Of misunderstanding those who
respect the Sunday can bend their energies
and direct their efforts to some purpose.
1t is a point gained that an extensive
system of railways like that owned by the
Vanderbilts has yielded to the sentiment
which asks sinplv what God commando l.
If the concession can be worked well in one
place it will succeed equally well elsewhere,
and we believe there is enough of Christi
anity in our railway managers to induce
them to not offend when they can readily
avoid it.
LAST WEEK Assistant Postmaster General
CLARKsoN Topped off the heads of 955