Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-08-29

A Futile Effort Made In England to Put
q Stop to Them.

From the Saturday Review.
Even when one is opposing nonsense 1t is ad-
visable to be discreet in using il ones self
though occasionally it has a solid value. All
that was said by the shareholders who attended
the meeting Of the London, Brighton and
South Coast railway on Wednesday for the pur-
pose OF voting against Mr.. Allen did not justify
its utterance. Mr.. Allen did an unwise thing
when he tried to stop Sunday excursion trains.
He supported his unwise motion by many fool
ish remarks, and when he went on to speculate
as TO the death-bed thoughts OF the chairman
he became distinctly offensive in the greasy
way characteristic of some religious people.
Still 1t was no answer to his folly to shout,
shut upr' That's enough we thought
So. IAN inane remark at all times),
and SO forth. Neither do we see much
point in the criticism that only about
1900 out Of some l0, 600 servants are engaged
in Sunday work; for if the thing is wrong ia
itself it is as wrong for one for 10000.
When also the company grayely announces
that not for I60 900 year would it employ its
men on Sunday If it really believed the work
was bad for their brains and nerves. the tongue
Of the skeptical nearer is almost rresistIbly
impelled to nestle in his cheek. The hands Of
the London, Brighton and South Coast railway
are well treated no doubt-party because the
directors. like most English gentlemen, are not
scattered up aud down the country, and be-
cause good railway servants are not so easy to
get but that they can make terms for TIT NJ
selves. Those of MIR. Aliens hearers who
TAXED about men worshiping God in the
green fields or swarmipg into poi houses il
they were not allowed to 20 in excursion trains
descended TO his own intellectual level man
does not go for days outing in order TO pray
and painful experience has taught that III re
Is no natural incompatibility between the eX-
cursionist and the pot house.
The one solid reason why Sunday travelling
should not be put stop to is that great many
persons wish to travel on Sunday. They 60 for
various reasons-some from necessity, others
for business others TO church lin the neighbor-
hood OF London very commonly. Others, again,
because they want a walk or pull on the river
There are people who hold that none of these
Reasons justify the use Of train on a Sunday
II il an opinion like another For the present
II does not happen to be the opinion OF the ma
jority, that is all. The common illogical kind
Of Sabbatarian holds that some sort of convey
ance may be used, but not others; some form
Of exercise taken. but not others. With him or
her 1t Is idle to argue. The only judicious
course 10 to abstain from discussion and be
tender of his or her prejudices whenever they
do not impose excessive annoyance on your
self. The use of Sunday excursion trains is
due to the fact (Which We now reveal for the
first time) that many people who like to have a
day In the country cannot conveniently go on
any other. As they have not yet been persuaded
that the act is sinful or have even thought
lessly stopped short at tho consideration
that it is pleasant, they go on doing it. As long
as they remain of this mind the London,
Brighton and South Coast railway may be ex-
pected to serve them, since, in fact il is a COM
mon carrier and not a censor of morals. We
have not yet heard that Mr.. Allen wants to
stop the omnibuses on Sunday; and we fail to
see what moral difference there is between
taking bus to Barnes and walking to Rich
mond, or taking train to Brighton and walk
ing on the Downs. One argument there is for
stopping Sunday excursion trains which has a
certain force. It is based on the annoyance
felt by those who hive in the trains place of
destination when it is invaded by q crowd of
town people, generally depressed, sometimes
noisy and occasionally drunken. But we can
not recommend the argument for common use
1t sounds i'll in these days; and, after ALL our
fellow subjects may be depressed if they like:
it is idle to hope that some of them will ever
give up being noisy; and, as long as they do not
commit assault and battery, il does not greatly
signify il they are drunk. The remedy is to
take train out. or boat, when they are ex-
pected. There is small fear that the ordinary
excursionist will wander far from the neigh
borhood Of his provisions.