The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-03-27

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| Sunday Convenience VS.. IncOnven ence.
| To the Editor Of the journal and Courier:
In the recent reports and comments
on Sunday trains, one view has been
omitted which think is worthy of pre-
sentation. II ''the senate has decided
| there is no wickedness or sacredness
! involved In this matter probably 1t is
proftless to discuss with the general
public the moral or religious bearing,
yet 1t may not be unreasonable to- ask
| the legislature and the public to con-
slider the question of the rights of the
people as a whole If too much to
ask full application of the Golden Rule
to this business, it is not unfair to
ask that reasonable regard be had for
those who may be unfavoraby affected
by the changes asked for. Why not
| consider the bearings from the stand
point that evidently most influences
| those who desire more Sunday trains,
viz, personal convenience; and this in
connection with the inconvenience of
others, more or less, who do not want
| them. However strong the demand, 1t
| is not so much for cases Of sickness or
death or funerals, as for the conven-
fence or such as desire their personal
pleasure, business, or saving time from
weekday work. |. e., personal conven-
| fence more than necessity Is the petit
TONER Most everybody that wants to
use train Sunday wants 1t to start
from his place just about the time he
! is ready to go. According to the OFF,
Gals, many of the outside public ar
irving at the two hubs of travel want
the convenience of getting right along
through our State, at whatever time of
Sunday they may reach those termin-
ais or find 1t most convenient to leave
after arrival. The same convenience
affects similar people on the route be-
tween terminals. And it seems the
bounding" Of those who wish to go
as they please is increasing to such ex-
tent as to be uncomfortable, while so
far as finance Is concerned the officials
would as soon not increase the trains.
Perhaps we can and ought to come to
their relief, by asking the legislators
and other citizens Of this old common
wealth, to consider whether the Sun
days Laws of the State, including the
limitation of 1SS7-covering the hours
from 1890 to 3-were enacted with
view to securing the desire Of It's citi-
zens for the quiet Of Sunday rest and
worship instead of the hustle and bust
ness of the week days? And whether
manly and neighborly Interpretation
Of said statutes will concede some reas-
enable rights tn such In the premises?
A considerable part Of their constituent
cy now asks the legislature of Connec-
ticut how far the convenience Of the
Sunday travelling public shall regard or
disregard the Inconvenience of the nom
travelling or worship attending or home
quiet public?
1t may be In the air. and readily be-
lieved by very many, that the number
of the really Inconvenience in these
days is too small to demand considera-
ton, yet a recent writer who did not
speak at random, asserted that more
than one-fourth of the people of this
country attend church at the chief SER
vice of every Sunday and that a ma
Jority of the nen-attendants were not
thus engaged by reason of young or old
age, sickness, infirmities, detection or
dependence. Now add all others who
for themselves wish the restfulness of
quiet Sunday hours and the number
more or less inconvenienced and dis
turbed beyond their legal and reasona-
BILE personal rights is sufficiently large
to respectfully ask If not demand more
rather than less restriction of the
present order of Sunday traffic and
travel and personal pleasure-seeking.
Aside from the moral effect of Sun
day trains or the greater sacredness Of
some Sunday hours over others, the
fact for observance is that from 1890
to 1 are chiefly and generally the wor-
ship hours. during which, If at all. an
appropriate quiet of the community
should be secured. 1t Is equally true
that In almost every city or village
through which trains run during those
worship hours there is more or less in
convenience both in going to and from,
with the disturbance Of worship in the
churches; and not only Is 1t an incon-
venience and disturbance to all who
hear 1t at such time, but to those near
est the lines it Is almost a public null
sance. The extra running of hacks and
buses through the streets at those
hours to convenience passengers to and
from stations, also adds to the disturb
ance of passing trains not little in
cidentally. In many churches, both
city and country the Sunday schools
continue service of the morning from
IL to l. and while during that hour the |
may not be as great or |
so seriously disturbing, yet it is suffi-
GENTLY hindering to the best and fitting |
endeavors Of those so engaged, as to |
make all who have the moral and relig- |
lous interests Of the public in heart and |
hand wish that at whatever other |
parts Of Sunday trains may run, the |
hours from 1890 to /, or till 10 at |
least, shall be exempt from any and all |
railroad business This may also be !,
asked in behalf Of the large number of |
employees, station and ticket agents, |
block and other signal men, all which |
with each added train takes something
moer from their Sunday rest, and from
with their family friends dur
ing the specially worship hours of the |
day. The tendency to an increase of |
both passenger and freight trains at |
other parts Of the day has been rather
steady since the enactment of 1887. I
whether by permission of the commits
sioners or without permission, and not
the statement of an at |
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