Waterbury Democrat., 1902-05-24
thiS
EVIL THE PUBLIC CAN CURE.


 With the advent of the warm wealth. CT have come the open cars on the street railway, and with the open cars again returns that great public nui- sance-the .stander,' the passenger who makes himself an intolerable nl1i- sance by standing between the bench es of a loaded car simply because the street railway does not furnish accom- modations sufficient to the demand. Sunday afforded a fair example of the conditions which create this nuisance although there are several hours each week day duirng which the "stander'' is uncomfortably apparent on some lines. Anyone who patronizes the street cars during the summer season. and especially one who resorts to any of the alleged" long pleasure ridesv on holiday or Sunday, is apt to learn II the experience is not already acauir- ed i'll past seasons, how comfortable It IS to have from one to five or six islanders" crowed in the small space between the back of the bench next forward and the knees of the seated passengers on ones own bench. Such conditions are especially conductive to '.pleasure" and fresh cool air, to say nothing of unuttered imprecations and state of mind which helps to make one feel cool and comfortable CD. But don't blame the '.stander.'' He Cor she) is not at fault; the fault is with the management of the company, and the remedy lies within easy reach of the riding public.
 The city of New York is seeking. through the medium of a possible city ordinance, to do away with this nui- sance, but this is an almost impossible method of procedure, for as long as q street railway will permit passengers so to ride, or as long as passengers can crowd on car in that manner, so long will they continue to do So An ordinance of this sort might possibly be effective in the long run, but there is q shorter methOd-One that is en- tirely in the hands Cor feet of the rid ing public. This is the method that proved so effective in Boston, and we suggest to the long-suffering people of Springfield and vicinity that they adopt the practice of so adjusting their knees and feet when seated in open cars that no islanders can get in be- tween the benches. If the public would strictly enforce this practice the street railway would be compelled to put enough cars into service to accom- modate it's patrons, and perhaps ulti- mately rule might be established here as in Boston,, that no passengers shall stand between seats or on the running-board.
 Commenting upon the proposed ordi- nance in New York, and upon the nui- sance in general and methods of SUD- pressing it, the Boston Post says:
 Once the same evil prevailed here. but for several years we have been free from it. There was no ordinance passed, no official pressure applied. but passengers ill the open cars sim ply refused to allow anyone to stand in front of them. If an obnoxious and persistent person attempted to crowd ill to the discomfiture of those who were seated. he found himself or her self, barred by serried array of feet and legs and knees occupying all the available space. By general consent, the public made the rule that standing between the seats should not be allow ed. and in the course of time-quite promply, in fact the management of the road adopted the order which the public had issued and gave it a place among the instructions to conductors.
 To-day in Boston every passenger on an open car has q seat, except such as may ride on the platforms at front and rear, or on the running board at the side. If New Workers wish relief from the conditions of which they make such complaint, let them brace up and assert their rights. So long as they endure that man or a woman shall crowd them out of their accom- modations, the railway company will let them enduEe it. A little more self assertion, American independence, is needed there.
 And what The Post says about what is needed i'll New York applies equally to Springfield and vicinity. Let No more standers' be the rule adopted by tile trolley-riding public and let that rule be enforced by a rigid line of five or six pair of feet and knees when anyone attempts to crowd in between enches.-Springfield Union.
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