The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-09-02

| occofnt eAcrcuinbiy conplcdteu It
this latter fact is probably due the neg.
Iects OF the subject. since the public
sentiment aroused In opposition has
been shocked by the new development
and seems not 10 have sufficiently re-
covered TO plan campaign against 1t.
Indeed, like Skaters army. when II
ran up against the barbed wire fences
OF the Spaniards and had to readjust
it's lines and equip itself with new in
struments of warfare. to wit. cutting
plyers. the crusade against the end seat
hog offence is compelled to pause and
consider what weapons Il can bring to
bear before renewing the attack waged
so vigorously and with considerable
success for several summers past.
For the end seat hog Of today is like
ly to be woman--quite as likely as a
man. indeed. The material for past
campaigns against the end seat hog
was abundant, in that appeal could be
made to mans sense OF courtesy and
gallantry, and the man-hog could be
held up to the opprobrium of his fellow
citizens when he sat stolidly on the end
OF an otherwise empty seat of the
bloomer car and compelled womanlSind
to squeeze past him to seat on the
neither side of him.
The records. we believe, will show
that the campaign made on these lines
was fruitful OF good results. Backed
by public opinion, the woman about to
enter the bloomer car was strong to
look the man straight in the eye and
silently compel him to move inward, and
give space on the end to herself, her
bundles, the bird cage and the baby, IL
she chose to avail herself of that posi-
tion. Reminded of public sentiment
and recalled to his sense Of gallantry,
man humbly moved along. The bloomer
car seat was to be no longer regarded
as reserving for the stronger sex the
privilege OF the church pew. And 1t
seemed only matter of little final
desultory skirmishing all along the line
to be able to declare the end seat hog
war ended.
But. alas. public sentiment, ever loyal
to the right. ever ready to maintain the
privileges Of the weak against the
strong. on the very eve OF peace plo- |
Iocol and the permanent retirement OF |
the end seat hog from the issues of the |
lay. is confronted by the appalling dis
.overy that woman. having been estab-
ished in her privileged position, has
herself developed propensity to be-
come an end seat hog.
We write these words with full
sense of their import, and the chances
If reproof from gentle womankind.
rhey do not apply to all the gcntler
ex-we trust not to majority, even.
sut our attention has been called to 80
many exceptions that We feel 1t pub
c duty to demonstrate lest the germ
pread among those good women who
,ould ordinarily be counted upon to be
immune from the spread OF the cpl
emic. 1t is a fact, today. that woman
OF only demands the privilege OF TAX
,g her seat in the bIoomer car without
eing compelled to Chamber over the lap
male occupant of that preferred
'cation, feigning ignorance Of the APP
earance OF new passenger behind
Is newspaper. but having secured the
igibIe site for herself she Is frequently
5 loath to move along In favor OF a
ewcomer as the end seat hog of the
ale persuasion In the height OF his
ign of unjustified precedence.
We admit that we are not prepared
approach this subject after fash
n calculated to commend itself Pub
: opinion is evidently at sea on the ,
'oblem as now complicated by reason
the fact that It is woman, rather
an man. who is SO often the offender.
specially perpIexing is the situation
hen II Is to be remarked that It is
'ainst her own sex that woman main
ms her position on the end seat most :,
vulnerable to silent appeals and de- a
lnds for surrender. Man might. hum ;,
: enough. squeeze betwixt woman's :,
en- abundant knees and stumble over :,
r bundles on the floor to reach the n
cant space beyond. But we have n
ted that woman. having secured the 7,
seat is often quite ready to give h,
y to man. whereas. IL the newcomer 70
only another woman. she sits rigid, q,