New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-05-12
cycLJNG "A A SOCIAL FdC9OR.

II IN hardly too much 10 say thnt w" CUT or
tho wheel IL tho most suggestive ANA picturesque
n not tho most important fact In contemporary
ilfr. Men who vet call themselves young chn
remember when the vclocpcdc the clumsy pro-
pcnl,or Of the bicycle. wns discussed ns rather
interesting toy for children II is only very
short time since the press gave mere passing
notice 10 the bicycle. and M the machine grew
I, favor spec,,lated whether II had come to stay.
s,ill later. the question whether the use OF the
bicycle might not possibly have some influence
ON life and manners was preached In tentative
way I'm the odd corners Of newspapers. Even
those who at the first were most taken Win the
snort were unable to foresee Its GROWTH or II
they were, they found no one willing TO believe
them To-day all that Is changed. Cycling mas
become craze; but. unlike the ordinary craze II
shows every sign Of pcrmanency. 1t IL no longer
n question whether 1t has come to stay, but III
what way its legitimate growth shall best be
fostcred. and what influence 1t Is likely to have
on life and manners.
1t Is unnecessary to say, OF course, That wheei-
ing has done much TO create and stimulate On
interest in good roads. Almost without an ex-
ception the officials charged with the care OF
roads are bestlrring themselves as they have
never done before The appropriation OF $1,000
made by Congress two years ago for an investl-
cation of roads has enabled the Department OF
Agriculture 10 issue number of useful bulletins
ON the subject Massachusetts and New7Jersey
have been especially forward In the matter In
1903 the Legislature Of the former State passed
a bill appropriating 100000 to be expended by
a Highway Commission in bodybuilding, and
thirty.eight sections Of such roads have already
been contracted for. Most Of these roads will
have n hardened surface OF from fifteen to eigh-
teen feet In width, but the Commission Is con-
s,dering the ACCESSIBILITY Of building In thinly
scttled districts single-trnck roads OF not more
than nine feet wide Many towns are building
roads in the same careful manner, and now the
question OF planting shade trees along the roads,
at n cost OF 81. 800 900, is seriously discussed
Tho came sentiment that has become SO dom
,pont IN these two States Is making itself felt
in many other States. East, West and even South,
The Croton Cycle Path bill advocated by The
Tribune Is a striking evidence Of this. These
facts indicate revolution Of opinion on the ques-
tion OF roads that will In time give this country
hs fine roads az there are In the world Every
year wheelmen are more and more becoming a
poteptal factor In the community; and their not
altogether unsclnsh desire TO have good roads
their favor could have done.
We have little space TO refer to the influence
which cycling Is destined TO have on woman and
her costume; and perhaps 1t Is just rs well; for
II Ia n matter about which II IL dangerous to
make dogmntic assertions and still more dan
gerous to indulge In predictions. But that We
arc TO have the wheclwomah as well AZ the
whcelman IL no longer IN open question. She 10
here, and here TO stay, Her presence hns added
interest aud plauancy. not only TO the sport, but
TO the volumnous literature that II IN evolving
In tho magazines aud newspapers The medical
men have had their say on the subject, and. on
tho whole II has been favorable 10 tho wheel.
women Numerous morallsts have arisen 10 de-
clare that II In Imlnodcst for women 10 ride on
q wheel but FOR some reason thclr wcll'incant
protests have had little influence on The women
or on people In general. More than any other
question. however. that Of Y proper dress for
whcewomen nrouscs the attention OF the public;
but after all Il u question that may he wisely
allowed to settle itself. II may be that costume
at once Ideally graceful, and adapted for tho pur.
pose, viii never be evolved; but then u We look