New-York tribune., 1901-08-11
THE CAR SEAT QUESTION.

A question of great popular interest has been
newly raised by an incident of the last week
on one of the chief railroads running out OF
New-York A passenger entering car at
tempted to take possession of a vacant seat but
was prevented from doing so by another pas
senger who declared that he was reserving-
''holding" is the precise commuterese express
sion-three seats, besides his own, for friends
whom he expected to come in and play cards
with him. The first passenger did not recognize
that as a valid reason why he should have to
stand or go hunting through the train for an
other seat in less desirable place, and so per-
sisted in his attempt to occupy the seat he
wanted. Thereupon the second passenger smote
the first with force and fists, and the first re-
torted by having the second arrested. The con-
cluding act in the drama is yet to be performed
in a court of justice, but meantime the railroad
company has performed the penultimare act or
perhaps a bit of byplay, by decreelng that
henceforth there shall be no card playing in its
cars.
This order of the company which is variously
regarded by card playing and non-card playing
passengers, is intended to obviate further fstt-
cuffs over the reservation of seats for card
parties, and as such is we'll meant. We regret
fully doubt however, whether IL will fully ac
complish the purpose. The question of the oc-
cupancy and reservation of car seats is TOO
complex, profound and fundamental to social
order to be thus cavalierly settled. We would
not, of course, venture to intimate that 1t ranks
equally with the famous car window question,
which for so long a time has engaged the ear
nest attention of socologists throughout the
world and still remains a matter of contention
among the great schools of philosophic thought
Nevertheless it is a question of fascinating in
terest and of grave Importance. affecting all
the out of town railroads and their patrons. On
the urban roads, both surface and elevated, it
does not exist, having been dlscTeetly shut out
by the managers through the effective method
Of decreeing that nobody has right TO any
seat. The out Of town roads are, however
proverbally conservative. and thus continue TO
tolerate the old tradition Of stage coach days
that passenger is entitled -generally-to a
seat
The obvious rule should be, then, that a pas
senger finding a seat unoccupied is entitled to
occupy it; though, as we have already seen in
the case Of last week. there are sometimes bel
ligerent exceptions to that rule. Then there
arises the question to what extent he is en-
titled TO retain control of il while he is absent
from It, Doubtless he should be entitled to
hold it by leaving his hat or top coat in it while
he goes to the end of the car for a drink or
steps across the aisle to speak TO a friend. But
suppose he goes into the smoking car for an
hour or two to smoke TO play cards, can he
claim the seat on his return? And how about
the somewhat numerous man who before the
train starts goes into car, puts his gripsack
upon a seat to hold" it, and then, without
sitting down at all, goes into the smoking car
and remains there throughout the whole trip,
coming back for his gripsack just as the train
is slowing UP at the station where he is TO
alight? Is he really entitled thus to hold" that
seat? Again. If a passenger have some hand
baggage, he is entitled TO place 1t upon the va
cant seat next to him. so long as nobody wants
that seat But should he do so when the only
other vacant seats are the sunny side of the
car? Then, too. If he is expecting a friend 10
join him before the train starts, courtesy allows
him to reserve the seat at his side for that
friend But II the friend does not appear be-
fore the train starts, can he hold ii indefinitely
on the plea that his friend will be in presently
from the smoking car or will get ON at the next
station?
Such are some of the Protean phases OF the
great questions which arise daily TO the perplex-
ity and sometimes TO the physical damaging OF
the travelling public. And the passengers have
to work out their own solutions of them as they
arise, since the railroad people resolutely de-
cline to do so. The result is that each case is
settled emDirically. often By virtue OF men