The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-02-21
THE REIGN OF THE BICYCLE.f
The Present Passion for the Wheel Is
Not Likely to Die Out Ever.N

cry inc olcycle passion mas Aluli
possession Of several leading cokn-
tries of the world. England AID
France, notably those parts of them
in and about London and Paris,
have been SO given over to it for
some time that large proportion
OF their population come and go on
their errands of business or pleasure
on wheel. Americans who have
recently travelled abroad have been
astorished at the general use of the
bicycle there and haye been still
more astonished on returning to
THEN own country during the past
year TO discover what Roadway the
passion has made here. 1t is SAID
to be a conservative estimate by
competent authorities that during
The year now closing 100000 bicy-
Giles haye been sold in this country,
and that the number of riders
approaches 1000, 900. ThenA are
said to be over SO, 900 in New York
and It's neighborhood and fully
half that number in and about
Boston. The latter city caught the
passion from Europe some time
before New York did and has
larger proportion of its population,
male and female, regularly devoted
to 1t.
Observers of the phenomenon
are wondering whether it is merely
passing whim or whether it has
come to stay, whether those who
have taken it up will continue it
after the novelty has worn off or
whether they will drop it for the
next new fad that shall come along.
There are many reasons for think
ing that its stay will be permanent.
Undoubtedly many of those who
take 1t up because of It's vogue will
tire of it after awhile, but these will
not constitute large proportion of
the whole number. The great body
of riders find in the bicycle new
pleasure in life, means for seeing
more of the world, source of bet
ter health through open air e1er.
cises, bond of comradeshlp, a
method of rapid locomotion either
for business or pleasure and many
other enjoyments and advantages
which they will not relinqulsh.
The bicycle has, in fact BECOME
necessary part of modern life and
could not be abandoned without
turning the social progress of the
world backward. Few who have
used it for tour through the
country could think for moment
Of giving it up and returning to
Professionalism instead. Aside from
the exhilarating JOY of riding, which
every bicycle devotee will assure
you is the nearest approach to flying
at present possible to man, there is
the opportunity of seeing con-
stantly changing landscape.
The bicycle is indeed the great
leveler. 1t puts the poor man on
level with the rich. enabling him
to 'sing the song of the open road"
as freely as the millionaire and to
widen his knowledge by visiting the
regions near to or far from his
home, observing how other men
live. He could not afford railway
journey and sojourn IN these places
and he could not walk through
them without tirlng sufficiently to
destroy in measure the pleasure
which he sought. But he can ride
through 20, 80, so, even 20 miles
of country in day without serious
fatigue and no expense save his
board and lodging. To thousands
of men and women the longing of
years to travel little as soon
as they could afford it is thus
gratified, virtually without limit,
for "little journey in the world"
can be made on every recurring
holiday or notwithstanding.
A Letter From Florida.
To the Editor Of tho PapuhIican