New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-10-20
THE GRIEVANCES or NoN-suoKERS

The letter published In our columns the other
dav on the subject of smoking in open cars
contained well founded complaint. It Hes
probably against individuals more than against
the car companies, or against the latter chiefly
for not enforcing their rules more efficiently.
But wherever II lies It Is an urgent complaint
We are not arguing for the prohibition OF smok-
ing or for the restriction Of smokers legitimate
rigats. but for the protection Of non-smokers-
wno are after all. the vast majority the
maintenance Of their legitimate rights. And
seeing that the non smokers are the majority
it seems an infringement upon their rights to
restrict them 10 a minority Of privileges.
In the case cited by our correspondent man
insisted on smoking In any seat OF the open
mart Of combination car, saying that those
who did not Ike smoke might ride in the closed
part. The obvious answer Is that the closed
mart IS only about onc-fourth the size Of the
open part so that his rule would give four
nfths 10 the minority and only onc-ffth to the
majority. Moreover It IS manfesty unjust TO
say that the most desirable part Of the car
shall be given mp TO smokers and that those
who do not smoke must put mp with Inferior
accommodations Again. take the case OF
smoking cars on the elevated roads. There IS
no objection to providing a car on each tram
for smokers, hut we have seen In this city this
year the amazing spectacle Of elevated railroad
trains In which only one car. and that an IN
fcrior one was reserved for non smokers, ana
all the others, two or three of them superior
cars. given up to the smokers With the result
that the one non smoking car was crowded 70
suffocation. while the two or three smoking
cars were not half filed. That. we submit. was
not fair treatment Of the majority
Nor do we escape the evil whom tho accom-
modatlons are equltably divided on trains
provided with smoking cars the non-smoknS
cars are habltually invaded by smokers. who
either puff away openly or attempt TO sneak
. smoke" i'm the latter case filing the air with
the nauseatlng fumes Of a partially eXtn-
guished or cooling cigar 1t Is n rarity that
trim can he made now on some Of the elevated
lines without such an experience. ON tho East
River Bridge the case IS bad. Ostcnsihly. no
smoking Is allowed In the cars or on the plat
forms: vet smoking Is rs common and as IN
checked on the platforms rs II IS anywhere on
the city streets and It Is not eItravagant to o.
innate that on the average. the day around,
thore arc two or three smokers 10 each car II
II hc replied that the smokers there have a
grievance because since the abolition or The
through trains across the Bridge from the elevat-
cd roads no smoking cars are run on that
structure and II IS an intolerable hardship for
man 10 spend those seven or eight minutes
without smoking the effective reiolnder IS made
that # is the smokers own fault for they have
never made any effort TO get smoking cars put
on the Bridge
Proper accommodations should he provided
for those who want 70 smoke. and they should
be respected by non smokers nonsmoker
has no business 10 ntrude himself into a smok-
ing car and occupy n seat which some smoker
might want But that Is seldom done For
every one such occurrence there are many Of
the contrary character in which smokers IN
trude themselves into places whore smoking Is
forbidden and properly forbidden. That Is n
serious evil. AMI one that should he rcmedied'
for It Is one ~ those lnfringements upon per
sonal rights which no civilized and law abiding
community can afford 70 ignore.