New-York tribune., 1900-07-01
THE SUBURBAN CoMMUTER.


Let us consider the Suburban Commuter. Not
bundles and the who oft to Lonelyville
from the metropolis beareth his household
gods Such individual is dear to the cartoonist,
and is the perennial inspiration of the profess
sional joke writer. 1t may be that he exists,
though in what suburb of what city and on
what railroad line deponent sayeth not, and will
not cannot say. No doubt upon the real COM
muter some share of that fantastic fooling falls.
He realizes it. and indeed eXuts in it, with
many chucklingS. the juice Of the whole joke
being in the unlikeness of himself and of his
life to all the carica turist has portrayed. But
having so long been familiar with the distorted
fancy. let us consider for a space the aCtualty.
most visible and tangible by tens of thousands.
1t will be we'll then, imprimis, to regard the
Suburban Commuter a pioneer of progress.
The sturdy frontiersman who clears the forest
breaks up the plain and first transforms the
wilderness into fertile farms commands adj
miration So does he who follows with the rail-
road and the school. The founder of a city Is
gratefully remembered. But none the less are
the commuters pioneers. They reverse the rus
in urbe" situation, aud establish ''urbs in rure.
They are the advance guard of the cOnquering
hosts of the city. And presently where they
have lived, and because of their having thus
lived, we see an Annexed District" or the
Forty-frst Ward of the Greater City" Sc
cundus, the commuter is most practically real
izing the ideal of which those who lampOOn him
fond theoretically of harping. The evils
of overcrowding in the cities, the advantages
and pleasures of rural suburban life, are
themes upon which it is easy to be eloquent in
a city home. But this man takes such theoriz-
ers at their word and puts their plans into
execution, for which, with exquisite consis-
he or tray Cd nd rid 1j.11Iad
Truly, hero and a martyr.
To turn, however, from the mans deeds to
the man himself, 1t is to be observed that the
Suburban COmmuter is almost entirely unlike
the cariCa ture of him. That he carries a pack
age now and then is not to be gainsaid. but
that he IS habitually laden down with bundles
is not to be established. The fact is, the fire.
quency of his trips to the city enables him to
convey to his home all that he wants to take
little by little, in almost imperceptible quanti-
ties. 1t is the infrequent visitor who comes TO
town once month or so, who is compelled to
pile both arms high with packages Had the
census been extended to cover the subject. we
have a cheerful confidence that the Suburban
COmmuter would have been proved less addicted
to the bundle habit than his urban contemner
So, too we may dismiss the fiction of his in
cessant hurry and worry to catch the train or
never almost never in. His mode of life
makes him methodical and punctual His
breakfast hour and dinner hour are timed with
mathematical accuracy, in fine contrast to the
procrastinating, slipshod, happy go lucky habits
of his city cousin.
And this latter feature of the case tinctures
his whole character and life. He becomes in all
respects punctual, methodical and orderly Thus
he commands the highest confidence. He is
enabled to accomplish the most considerable re-
suits And-which is by no means the least of
all-he makes his business his servant instead
of making himself it's slave. The man who
lives in town will let his business encroach
upon his dinner hour, or perhaps will return to
the Office after dinner. or hold a business con-
ference at his house in the evening. Not so the
happier and wiser Suburban Commuter When
the time comes for him to catch his train he
shuts his desk and goes and gets himself twenty
or thirty miles away from the office and there
is an end of business until next morning With
such regularity of method. and with such daily
respite from work and care, he is naturally
enabled to accomplish more in his fixed hours
than the man who stretches his business day
out into the evening. The true picture of the
Suburban Commuter. then is of a man who
reaches his office in the morning deliberately
but punctually, instead of in the hurried
tOusled manner of his city friend; who works
through the day methodcally and effectively.
instead of in ftful and dilatory fashion: who
goes home punctually at night. instead of linger-
ing to finish up neglected odds and ends. and
who in the completest possible manner divorces
business cares from domestic joys. Such man
is indeed worthy to he the pioneer of the ex-
tending metropolis, and when the most credit
able type of century end civilization is selected
a strong claim and convincing title must he
put forth in behalf of tie Suburban Commuter