The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-06-06
FOR EARLIER HOURS.
A Social Movement Which has

hacking OF Common Sense.
New York Tribune: "Eariy to. bed
and early to rise" is Philadelphia
proverb. Ever since the days OF Ben.
jamln Franklin that city has enjoyed
repute as a place OF staid virtues and
moderate habits. People were not,sup-
posed to go there at the pace that kills.
But It seems that Philadelphia has late
~ been losing Its beauty sleep. and a
movement Is on foot among Its social
leaders to restore the good old days Of
Poor Richard. SO that young men and
maidens may have better chance TO
grow wealthy and wise. 81
Whether the late social hours against
which Philadelphia repolts are late alb
solutely or only relatively We do not
know. 1t Is possible that the Philadel-
phia brain requires more sleep than
the New York or Baltimore brain, and
that very mild social dissipation may be
too much for Quaker placldlty. II IS
perhaps true. however, that all social
life Is carried on at too late hours. and
that everywhere devotees OF society are
suffering for lack Of sleep. and Phiia-
delphia, true to It's soporific tendencies.
was only the first to realize the fact
and enter protest. II that Is the case,
Philadelphia Is entitled to credit not
least because of the courage required,
as some Of the Philadelphia papers
paint out, for town with Philadelphia
reputation to start movement In Ia
vor OF more sleep. Color Is given to the
view that the difficulty is general one
by the sympathy which the movement
receives from the social leaders OF
Washington. One woman OF promi-
nence there says 1t Is q pity that'young
men who have to be at the office early
In the MORNING should be compelled to
burn the candle ut both ends In order
to enjoy any social life. AS for herself
and other women, who have chance
to make up sleep In the forenoon. she
does not like to lie abed all the morn
ing and she considers 1t wicked waste
OF time.
Now 1t may be answered IN behalf OF
the true butterfly theory OF society
that society" does not exist for The
sake OF, but rather to get rid Of, the
young men who have to be behind the
counter at a. M, and that people with
Puritan consciences. who ore shocked
at any wicked waste" which contribu-
ted to the Gayety OF eooiety. have no
reason for being In society. Imagine
the company Of Carlton House or Yer
sailles arranging its plans because
somebody had to be at the office In the
morning or because it was a waste OF
time not 20 be UP with the lark! What
would young Charles Fox have said IL
somebody had told him that public
servant, member of parliament and
under-secretary. should go to bed early
so as to have n clear head for the pub
lie business. That Washington has a
Society which regards the next morn
1ng's claim on the butterhy's time and
attention shows how far we have de-
parted from the old world Idea of social
life. We have. indeed. made water and
oil to mix when we have what a Phila-
delphla paper calls the very cream OF
society," not only welcoming the young
men who have to keep office hours, but
actually confessing that It considers
their convenience and needs.
The counting room young man has
long been in society, but il has been n
pleasant fiction of some Of the Cream"
and often of the young tnan himself,
that he was not there, and 1t has often
been pitiful to see the young man and
the cream" both pretending that Meth
er had any connection with trade or
anything TO do but dance and talk and
sleep until noon. The young man knew
he could not sleep until noon. and that
no valet would prepare his bath, but that
he must leave the boarding house
promptly at 7:30 o'clock, and the
cream" knew 1t also. But 1t long per-
sisted In boring itself with pretence
OF ldleness and responsibility. 1. Is
good to see Philadelphia and Washing
ton facing facts. 1t may yet become
fashionable for the cotlllion leader TO
say frankly: II must be at the teller's
window on time. and so can't stay out
later" But that Is long way from the
fashion that makes serious responsible
ity questionable. We hope II will
prevail. for 1t Is straightforward and
honest. 1t suits a country where ev-
erybody works better than Il society
which lives on the pretense OF general
idleness. such as Louis XVI knew, but
which does not exist here at all.