The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1909-06-04
DAYLIGHT SAVING.

/. III ME- Fart and his CABINET, at the
suggestion Of the National Daylight
association, have had under consider
alton the question Of turning the
clocks used by the government two
hours ahead during the the months
of May, June, July, August and sep
TENDER. The object Of such plan Is
to bring the period of work Of goy-
eminent employees into the cool part
of the day The idea comes from
England. The parliament Of that
country is considering a bill that is
designed to permanently effect such
a change In time keeping. BY the
English plan, however, all clocks, not
merely those of the government,
would be turned ahead Many objec-
tions have been made to the pro-
p0sal, among the directors, for in
stance, being those who are engaged
in enterprises that are conducted in
the evening, such as theaters, enter
tainments, etc. 1t has also. been
claimed that the system would affect
the social life of the country, as most
social affairs of Importance are given
after shutdown.
BY the adoption Of this system,
those who now 60 to work at s a. m.
would begin their labors at s a. M,
and would, of course, end them two
hours earlier than at present. Ii they
now complete their work at 5 in the
afternoon, they would hereafter COM
plete it at p. m. In order to OBJ
tain the sleep that they would re-
quire, it would be necessary for them
to retire two hours earlier than had
been their custom. Ii their bed time
ordinarily was 10 o'clock, they would
go to bed at 5 o'clock under the pro-
posed plan. Children that are usually
sent to bed at 5 p. m. would under
the suggested order of things, retire
at the time when they now eat sup
per. The advocates Of the plan con-
template no change in anything ex-
cept the method Of keeping time.
They merely recognize that in the
summer daylight comes earlier than
in the winter and that people lose
the very best working part of the day
by lying in bed. The consequences is
that they are actively working during
the afternoon when the heat is such
that the best results are not obtain
able.
The suggested change in the meth
cd Of keeping time is by no means to
be ridiculed, provided a practical
method of applying it can be found.
The suggestion however that the gov
eminent adopt 1t for government en-
ployes, without steps being taken to
make the system general, does not
seem to be reasonable. The gov
eminent might better let the clocks
alone and merely require that it's
employees 60 to work two hours ear
lier than is their present custom. The
attempt to change some of the clocks
of the country, without changing 9th
ers, would only lead to confusion.
The postmaster in New York City
under such double system, might
report, for instance, that a mail
steamer was due to sail at a. M,
when in reality 1t would sail at 6
a. M, according to the clocks of most
Of the people of the country. Wheth-
er or not the proposed daylight saw
ing plan Is good one is entirely
apart from the question of whether or
not 1t would be advisable for the gov
eminent to adopt such system In
dependently of its adoption generally
by the people of the country. II there
Is to be change the English method
of making it is by far the more sem
sible.--Exchange