Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-05-14
SPORTS AND SPORT.
OF INTEREST TO BIKE OWNERS.

man in Boston who is thoroughly
verse; on the sabject on which he
writes:
There has recently appeared In the
newspapers q statement that the as
SCISSORS OF Lowell, Mass. and Paris,
France. have expressed their intention
Of placing a tax on bicycles. In oehalI
of thousands of riders, / beg leave to
submit a protest against the taxation
Of bicycles.
BICYCLES are merely machines by
means of which muscular power can be
used in locomotion 10 better advantage
than In walking, and persons using their
muscles In this way are, as the word We
locipede expresses, wift-footed.
Mechanicians estimate that six miles
can be ridden on a bicycle with no
greater expenditure Of power than is re-
ouired in walking one mile. The real
value OF the invention is so great that
it is not strange that at first glance 1t
should be thought TO be a subject for
taxation, vet 1t should be rendered that
10 the great number of riders 1t is a ne
cnssity as well as a luxury as q means or
transportation.
This can be easily proved II a person
will take the trouble TO observe how
many mechanics, clerks and others go
TO their work on wheels. This is par
ticularly noticeable in manufacturing
cities and towns where large numbers OF
men ride on bicycles to their places OF
business.
The bicycle is helping to solve the
tenement house problem, as 1t enables
ths workman to live in tbs suburbs.
where he has some OF the advantages of
country life, and yet he can ride to his
work in the city. A tax on bicycles
would be q burden placed directlo upon
thousands OF the better class OF me-
chanics, to whom the machine has be-
chine has become a necessity, as much
so as their tools or household effects,
which are exempt from taxation.
If the bicycle, which increases the
amount OF work that may be performed
by the body, is a fit object to be special
" taxed, then every other machine, de-
vice or tool which increases the amount
of work that may be performed by mus
cular effort is a fit subject for taxation.
In the minds Of some persons, and
probably In the minds OF the assessors,a
bicycle is a bicycle, whether 1t be a
poorly constructed, unsafe machine, the
value OF which does not exceed $40, or
whether it be one of the most perfect
make with pneumatic tires, the value
of these tires alone being greater than
the whole machine Of another make.
On what principle Of equity, there
fore, could the average assessor deter
mine the taxable value Of bicycles? II
would be necessary for him to take a
board OF experts along with him to ex-
anime every machina, If it were to be
taxed at it's true valuation, the same as
other property is, in theory, taxed. 1t
surely would be most unjust to have a
fixed sum as a tax on every bicycle,
whether 1t be worth so or $3.50.
The better way for the assessors to
spend their time would be in searching
out the ownership Of the stocks, bonds
and other personal property Of the rich,
rather than to spend their time harass-
ing the poor man who possesses a bicycle
as a means of locomotioD from his home
to his workshop.
1t should be remembered that at the
present time the question OF the better
ment OF the highways is a paramount
subject of discussion throughout the
country, and anything tbettendgtalT-.
prove the roads is considered worthy OF
special commentator. The BICYCLES as
well as the bicycle riders have done
much TO promote tbs cause of better
roads; the bicycles, because the wheels
improve the roadIsnd the riders, be-
cause they arg road inspectors and
workers for rSad Improvement. There
fore, instead of these useful machines
being a subject Of taxation, it would
seem that VI would DO more equitable to
pay a bounty TO their owners because Of
the goo& work they are doing in the
oetter3k 1T Of the highways.
Very truly yours,
ALBERT A. Pope.
~servation train carving the
81 ,ak will follow the contestants in
vs25-mile road race on May 30.
elkoad runs parallel with the
the entire distance OF the race.
match between the Buffalo and
o wheelmen comes of over the
be course at Detroit the same ar
ments can be made for seeing al
the entire race.
lie Sanger, who made such a good
ing at the exposition races In Mil
Ikee last winter, is developing into a
y speedy rider and promises TO even
do his brother Walter. He Is only
Wears old, but has a wonderful devel-
MT. He has been doing light train
/ the past few weeks, with the inten-
bn of getting into good condition for
he Waukeshs road race, and will also
inter- the international races to be held
Ia Milwaukee during the circuit.
Harry link, of Louisville, is in hard
luck. The Southern Wheelmdn plant
was entirely destroyed by fire on Wed
nesday night. He also lost four bicy-
Giles. 1t is doubtful il the paper will
appear again for some time.
The Lord Mayor OF Dublin has been
p~etitioned TO allow the wheelmen to use
the Mansion House to hold a public
meeting at which an endeavor will be
made to raise SO, 500 as fund to send an
Irish racing team to Chicago for the in
ternational championship.
A HaIf-Mile Bicycle Track.
CHICAGO, May 13.-The track CON-
mittee for the international bicycle race
meet next August held a meeting yes
,ardav and Oafned what has been de-