Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-24
Comparative Sociology in Street Cars.

Comparative Sociology in Street Cars.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
For several years the street car customs Of
Washington have been to me Q subject of in
teresting speculation and have furnished ma
terial for study OF sort of comparative So
GEOLOGY.
In my own particular part Of the country
every woman entering q street car casts her
eye upon the first seated man she encounters
and silently conveys to him the intimation that
she expects him, the car being crowded, to sur
render his seat to her. in response to this
glance OF expectation the man invariably sur
! renders his seat II the woman is lady, in
the conventional social sense, she modestly
thanks the man who gives up the seat. If she
is equally respectable, but not so well versed in
the conventional ways of formal society, she
takes the seat without taking any notice Of the
man whatever. Possibly she is equally CRATE
ful, but apparently her rule of decorum does
not permit her. under any circumstances, to
notice man with whom she is not acquainted
=, In Washington men do not so readily give up
their seats. In several years of street car rid
ing here l cannot recall single instance
where any woman intimated to me by any
glance or action that she thought should
offer her my seat But when have given up
my seat on my own motion the woman to
Wnom 1t Is surrendered. be she lady in the
conventional social sense or respectable with
ont the polished ways of formal society. abe
has never failed to thank me- If expression of
gratitude is grateful to the recipient the Wash
lneton custom gives the most, because the
more frequent, pleasure to the man.
DIFFICULT QUESTION.
But, considering only disqualification, these
compared customs present very difficult prob
lem to tho man with seat in an overcrowded
street car.
When in my native wilds is it better to sit
stu and enjoy physical comfort or stand up
anu preserve my mental and moral composure?
For there no man can retain his seat and feel
happy. There the question il between COM
fort and relief from unhappiness.
When in Washington shall l. without this
moral compuision, preserve my comfort or, in
recompense for its surrender. enjoy the pleas
ure OF receiving expression of gratitude? Here
the question is between comfort and O positive
happiness.
In apologize terms of thankfulness q lady in
washington street said to q colored gentle
man who gave her his seat: ~ do not like to
deprive you" And he, with courteous spirit
and intention Of exactness Of speech pleas
antly responded: mo depravity, madam"
But he let his politeness get the better of his
trqthfulness; for it is deprivation to any man
cling to strap overhead for a mile or more of
Joining. Indeed. sometimes the inconvenience
to tired or an i'll man does bring his amiabil-
lty to state of absolute depravity.
With the custom prevailing in my native
wllds there is an absence of one displeasing
mental condition that often occurs in Washing
ton There the man olinging to the overhead
strap never feels within him rising feeling of
resentment against a lubberly lOut, pretty
young fellow. or stout, ill-lnannered old party,
who calmly retains his seat and stares at stand
ing women who can not reach the straps OF
reaching them have not the trick of thereby
preserving their balance. Accustomed to other
ways 1t sometimes makes me sick at heart to
say nothing OF stomach, to see such things
Ny comparative studies of this subject lead
me to this conclusion:
The way, in this regard. Of the men of nv
native wilds might better than the way of men
In Washington be called the custom of gentle
men.
Both here and there the lady trained in
social convention is the same-and probably
IN this and i'll all characterizing things she il
the same the world over. And yet if this last
generalization be true and the lady is every
where the same by reason of the identity of the
sociai-cui. force why should gentlemen differ
according to their latitude and longitude in
street cars more than in drawing rooms?
But In the general custom of Washington of
all women. whether simply respectable and to
De respected women or polished ladies of
formal social habits. expressing their gratitude
1or the sacrifice of personal comfort every man
makes who surrenders his street car seat to a
woman 1t seems to me is found O trait that
would become woman everywhere. And am
inclined to confess that here in Washington. SO
1ar at least as the streetear reveals character.
women, apart from all social distinctions, are
gentler, more grateful for courtesy and more
apprecmtlye OF kindness than may be found
some elsewheres SHAnow
December 20, 1880.