The news., 1882-11-07

An indignant citizen flies to The Press
for aid and comfort against the young men
who ride bicycles. He narrates an occur
renee in the Park last Saturday, from
which he draws the moral unequivocally
that the harmless pleasure of hundreds
should be stopped. The incident was, in
brief, the untimely tumble ola rider from
his machine, the fall of the latter prone
upon the ground, and plunge of horse
into the wires of the PROSTATE machine.
This does not seem to us so much an
Impeachment Of the bicycle as of the horse
and its driver. For, as our correspondent
describes the event, he saw the bicycle in
full time to arrest his own course, and to
wait for the bicyclist to recover himself
Instead of the bicycler, or his wheel.
being in fault, it is plain the driver of The
horse was to blame. We have no sort Of
sympathy with the sort of egotism that
would Danish all harmless enjoyment
which, as novelty may seem to disturb
the ordinary pleasures of the world.
How would the drivers of horses like to
have the bicyclers, in majority, agitat-
ing the exclusion OF carriages..from public
parks as nuisance to pedestrians, bicy-
clers, and what not? This admirable in
strument is in general vogue in every civ
ilized country in the world. 1t shares
the same right and limitations as other
vehicles in all the great cities, and it is as
common an object in all the pleasure
grounds or highways as any other wheeled
means Of locomotion. 1t is susceptible Of
vast pleasure as we'll as healthful reciea-
tion to all ages. That horse should be
terrified at its appearance indicates that
the horse is not we'll trained. But in the
case complained of the horse seems to
have been Indifferent to the machine un.
til driven into it, The park is public
property and is for the use Of all well be-
haved citizens. The demand for the ex-
clnsion ofthe large and growing number of
people who enjoy the exhilarating move
ment Of the wheel, is not democratic. It
smacks of the tyranny of caste and priyil-
ege, and no good American can counten-
ance it, for if the well-to-do may Danish
everything that inconveniences them the
poor and humble would have few pleas
ures left.-Press, Oct. 18th.
To the Editor Of The Press.
Permit me 10 express the appreciation
of self and fellow wheelmen for the excel
lent and impartial editorial concerning
bicycles, published in The Press of the
18th.
The fact is beyond question that the
wheel has come to stay, and that as lis
advantages become more widely under
stood by brain-workers, its field of useful
ness and pleasure will be greatly enlarged.
Churlish opposition must be met and
overcome by all useful innovations.
In New England, and especially in
Boston, bicycles are protected by the law.
as they are in Great Britain, and it is not
certain that if your recent complainant.
who admits having ruined bicycle by
driving horse possibly less valuable into
it, would not, if he lived at the Club" be
called upon to pay for the damage done.
The "wheep takes its place among the
legitimate implements Of recreation Of the
age. The superb display by the wheel
mans brigade in the Park last Thursday
affords some suggestion as to its growing
popularity. The riders of the silent
steed have enjoyed the privilege of the
Park for something more than year,
and no case of serious accident can be ira
ced in the remotest degree to its use.
Wheelman are gentlemen, and under
stand the rules and courtesies of the road,
and it is both their interest and their
pleasure TO observe them.
GERM ANTowN