The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-01-31
A QUESTION OF GOOD MANNERS.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
This question. touching the obligations
of polite consideration In IL street car,
is submitted to us by the young man, APP
parently who himself was subjected to
the very great natural temptation ne
describes:
"'ro the Editor of the Sun--Sr: Three
ladies' enter Il street car. every seat of
which is taken. and stand about equal
H. near to gentleman who Is seated,
reading. one of the ladies Is of mid lie
age; one is young but plain; the third
Is young aud pretty; all are well and ro-
bust. Is any rule or principle violated
ii he tenders his seat in preference TO
the young and attractive lady instead of
either of the others"'
The question whether n man is obliged
in courtesy to give up his seat in a pub
lie conveyance to "a standing woman Is,
doubtless. "a cause of much distress to
many masculine minds. Must man IN
due consideration for mere feminine
weakness, or from simple chivalry, al
ways prefer the comfort of women above
his own selfish inclinations? Formerly
American men felt very generally that
such was their strict obligation, and stlll
at the south and in some other parts of
this country ii is almost universally
exceptions as to circumstances which
tend to confuse the subject and to de-
stroy the "rule or principle" about which
our correspondent asks. Men who have
bought desirable seats in theatcrs, for
instance, do not give them up to women
less conveniently placed, and they do not
feel the obligation toward coored women
under any circumstances
unquestionable right to Cupy it against
all corners. for he has paid for It. If a
woman enters after the seats are flle1,
she indicates her readiness to make :he
journey without a seat, or TO take her
chances of getting one without impOs-
ing on the mere politeness of a stranger.
This. however, does not prevent the run
of American men from feeling more or
less uncomfortable, somewhat ashamed
of themselves if they remain seated
while women are standing in front of
them. They can't help 1t.
o.
OF course. no absolute obligation rests
on a man to give up his seat to wo-
man simply because she is a woman. She
may he in less need of rest than is he
He may be in Il hurry to meet an impor-
tant engagement, while she could well
have waited for another and an un-
crowded car. He may contend that 1t is
the business of the railroad company tC
look out for its women passengers, not
his Reason may give him an abundance
of sound excuses for not yielding to the
conventional consideration for women
but they do not stop his accusing con-
science. 1t Is n question which every man
must settle for himself. and he is no,
properly subject to condemnation which
ever way he decides il. He is at liberty y
to do as he chooses without violating any
moral or social law or absolute principle
1t rests also with the woman to accept
or decline the courtesy of a stranger
and If in taste she refuses to put herself
under obligation to him for it she has
good reason on her side.
%
Our correspondent. however does not
raise that broad question. for the particu
lar experience related by him is apart
wholly from matter OF mere courtesy
What he asks is simply if he would hav,
been justified in obeying his inclinations
| 10y giving his seat to the young and pret
ty woman of the party. instead of the
middlc-agcd woman or the plain woman n
Under the pretence of unselfishncs'
would he have been eXcuSable for seek
| ing to crafty his selfish preference? oh
viOuslY not; all moral merit in the ac
| would have been lost by such a surren
der 1t would have been an impertinenc,
elimination, which would properly have
/ been resented by the pretty girl. Pro
| priety would have dictated to her to Civ,
| way to the eldest of the three, thus re
| buking our friend deservedly for prcsum
| ing to exhibit his preference for her
| total stranger to him. At any rate, /
| he was disposed to surrender his seat
| he should have left the three women Il
| decide for themselves which should talk,
| it.
| The whole turns on a question of goot
| manners, and in themselves good man
| ners are social obligation. They are il
| social life what the flowers of the fiel,
| and all other natural beauties are in tn
| inanimate world They make eXistenc
| tolerablc, and their preservation is nee
| esssry to keep society from degeneratin;
| into bear garden. Their basis. o
! course. is regard for the little rights an,
| the comfort of others in the .ntercourS
| and associations of life. Hence men VIII
! go even to an extreme beyond tn
| strictly reasonable requirements of civ
| ility in their treatment of women in pub
| lie conveyances are worthy of commen
datiOn. They are taking a direction
which is in itself right.
| Breaches of good manners. neglect o
| the formal requirements of Civility i
public places and in business intercourse
are so frequent in their occurrence tina
| any manifestation of old-fashionCd for
NAL courtesy affords welcome relief b
showing that there still remains in 50
ciety the SAVIOR which keeps it from be
coming the scene of rough-and-tumbl
| struggle for advantage in all things
| great and small.