476 PROCEEDINGS OP THE AMERICAN ACADEMY 



some people feared woukl accompany or follow its introduction never 

 came, and the experience of a generation with uniform time has not 

 developed any desire to return to the system of local time. 



The American case only differs from the British in the breadth of 

 our country, which requires to be divided into several sections, whose 

 standards differ by whole hours. Each section, however, is compara- 

 ble with Great Britain. It is true that a city located upon a boun- 

 dary between sections does not reap the full advantage i^ossessed by 

 more centrally located places, but the new system will be better than 

 the old, even on the frontiers of the sections. 



Let us trace the effect of the adoption of the new standard by the 

 railroads upon any city which has heretofore been able to impose its 

 local time upon the surrounding country, taking Boston as an illustra- 

 tion. Evidently the very causes which brought the time of the neigh- 

 boring places into coincidence with that of the larger city will now 

 carry the time of those places over to the new standard, which in this 

 case is nearly that of Philadelphia. That is, Taunton and New Bed- 

 ford, Worcester and Springfield, Fitchbur^- and North Adams, Lowell 

 and Concord, Lawrence and Dover, and Portsmouth and Augusta, 

 have heretofore used Boston time solely because tlieir railroads did so; 

 but when the railroads give up Boston time the bond will be broken, 

 and Boston can only preserve the uniformity by conforming to the 

 new standard. 



Such considerations lead us to the conclusion that any city, however 

 large, which maintains its local time after the railroads have deserted 

 it in favor of the new standard, will isolate itself from tlie time of the 

 country, and bring constantly recurring annoyance upon its citizens, 

 its visitors, and those who deal with it by telegraph. 



In order to avoid perplexities for the first few days under the new 

 system, it is important that people throughout the country should 

 realize that we have now the consummation of a scheme deliberately 

 considered in all its details, and brought about by means whicli insure 

 its permanence. The movement is irresistible. Ofiicials and local 

 boards, with which the authority may lie, should therefore take formal 

 action in favor of it. Mills, banks, brokers' boards, and schools should 

 announce their intention to conform to it. Lawyers and insurance 

 companies should prepare themselves to use the slight verbal precau- 

 tions which will prevent litigation arising from any uncertainty during 

 the first few days following the change. And individuals generally 

 should adapt their plans to the new arrangements. Already the rail- 

 roads are prepared. But inaction on the part of communities leaves 



