The Opelousas courier., 1895-10-05
MORE TAXATION IDIOCY.

bohE AZ -
Some exceedingly interesting sta
tistics have just come to hand on the
bicycle tax among the French, and of
| the revenue the wheel nets to the state.
! The tax went into effect June /, 1893.
1t is nine francs q wheel, paid annually.
| and the rider who does not declare
his machine is liable for double tax.
So easy is it, however, to establish the
fact of a PERSONS ownership in a cycle
hat only a small percentage of French
riders fail to step up to the captains
office But 1899 riders tried to avoid
the bicycle duty in 1893, and i'll 1894
only LOB attempted to dodge the i'm
post,
"As many as l32.a76 bicycles we're
ridden in France in 1893, according to
the returns of the government officials:
The returns for the first six months of
this wear show a revenue of LOSE, CSC
francs ard 81 confines on a total of
2O3. Oo9 machines. This is nearly $780,
0OO"-BrooElyn Eagle.
EDITOR GoGD ROADS, Boston, Mass
Sir: OF all the stupid taxes ever i'm
posed, a bicycle tax is the most stupid
of all.
The rapid increase IN the use OF the
wheel is having a beneficial effect in
two directions. It has beef frequently
pointed ent that the American people
do not take enough outdoor exercise.
especially has this been the case with
those following sedentary occupations.
The bicycle is doing much to change
this condition. Thousands are finding
in it's use the inducement for outdoor
physical exercise, and It's influence in
building up constitutions which had
become broken down through lack of
the necessary physical exercise Is al
ready we'll marked:
At the same time 1t is doing much to
acquaint our people with a general
knowledge of how much we are be-
hind the countries of Europe in the
construction and maintenance Of our
roads. Wherever tbs wheel has coiie
into general use there has been an i'm
~provement in this direction, which
bids fair to o o place us on a par with
European countries in the matter of
good roads.
Now, as all taxes except that on
land values, add to the cost Of the atti-
Gle taxed; this idiotic tax on bicycles
tends to check u development III
these two important particulars, by
restricting the general use Of this civ.
ilizing agent.
Instead of adopting a policy which
limits their number it would be a wiser
policy for the French people to encour-
age their use.
1t Goes not require a wide stretch of
the imagination to picture the time,
but z, few years hence, when all 1oco-
motion other than steam railroads and
street cars will be carried on by means
of vehicles with pneumatic tires. Our
groceries and general supplies will be
deli'ered from vehicles propelled By
electricity, hot air or compressed air,
and which will have pneumatic tires
on their wheels.
When this condition Is arrived at the
matter Of the paving and repairing ct
our streets and roads will be solved.
Tho pneumatic tire represents the min
imrm OF friction, and streets once we'll
paved with either asphalt, wood
blocks or macadam would last for a
long period of years before needing re-
pairing.
The saving which would then result
from present yea and tear vehi-
cles-in which the farmer is the great
est sufferer, because he has the worst
roaas-is in~calculable; while the alb
senee Of horses from our streets would
remove the great source of city dust.
While radically opposed to all forms
Of oounties it would, ] think. be 3
wiser policy for our people to
age the use Of the bicycle by a bounty,
rather than by taxing them dis
courage their universal use. Besides,
it is essentially a discriminating tax,
one which bears with peculiar hard.
ship uponthe clerk or mechanic who
has saved from his meager salary to
purchase ole of these health restorers,
and who is compelled to pay the same
tax on his wheel which Mrs. Wander.
bilt Goes on hers. ROBERT BAKER.
Brooklyn, N. Y.