The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-09-15

and has records on the brain will not see
much beyond the high road; how i
| tends TO call into existence new classes
| OF country inns, brighter. fresher, more
enjoyable than the commercial inns,
which often linger on in a dead-alive
| state; how it may exert an influence on
! the condition OF roads"
Here, TOO. il is working one OF those
| silent revolutions which alter a nation so
profoundly. Some one has said that-it mas
physically saved the American women
| by introducing exercise into their lives.
| In a Ear lesser degree l should think the
same thing nigh, De said Of France, and
viii be presently said OF Italy. But even
with US in exercise-loving England the
effect is very great. Pass through a
country town and count the number OF
| girls you will meet--many OF them the
| daughters Of ;rddesmen, Or themselves
engaged in some sort OF work or bust
ness---on their bicycles In almost ali
these cases the new element OF exercise
has come into their lives. and with it a
new element OF independence and self
reliance and quick, practical judgment.
| which all cyclists are bound in some de-
gree TO possess, and which is SO valuable
10 women just because they have fewer
opportunities OF acquiring il ,han men.
The other night 1 passed in the dusk
through an outlying little town.
counted five or six Of the village girls
practising on their bicycles. while in one
lonely bi. l saw devoted mother help
ing her big boy in his first attempt
Think Of what all this means, and
doubt if you will quarrel with me when
1 say il is TO be counted as one of the
great influences, helping on the easy gen.
tie solution Of the woman question. Like
printing press, like steam engine, the
bicycle in its own degree is great edu-
Gator,
Now, may 1 make one practical sug-
gestion? War, uniting all cyclists. all en-
gagged in the cycle trade and in the other
trades connected with it, and those, such
as innkeepers, who derive profit from
the excursions Of cyclists, is better many
| times than submitting 70 policeman
ship in whatever part Of the country
this new thing shows its ugly head; but
peace---if We can have it, is better than
war. Could not an arrangement be made
by which the clubs should appoint Of
ficers of their own 70 act in cooperation
with the police for rhe purpose of decid-
ing the difficult question OF pace? If all
peaceful solutions are refused by the au-
thorities, then advise prosecuting with
out any vindictive intendon) the police
man for perjury who. in The opinion of
those more qualified 10 judge than he is,
wrongly declares the pace, and 70 urge
that all bicyclist cases should go before
Stipendiaries, not before the resident
ma gistrates, who. good, worthy people,
may possibly have some lingering coun-
try prejudices in favor Of carriages and
horses as against bicycles We are get
ting on in the country districs. but we
have not as yet learnt everything down
in JUDGE
That part Of the foregoing having ref
erence to the police treatment OF wheel
men will be emphasized by cases that
have come within the knowledge of al
most every rider. Sometimes it is a case
Of policeman over-estimating speed;
showing plainly that the bicyclist had no
intention of violating the law. Cases
have been known of traps being set for
unwary riders: for instance, the one in
Maryland quoted in this paper some
four months ago, where some cons;ables
and justice of the peace placed a plank
on the sidewalk where the road was an
ridable and had Il arranged 10 arrest all
those using the convenience offered. ar
raign them. and then divide the fine inn
posed. Still another offense is the I'M
warrantable roughness with which rid
ers are often warned. Riders passing
through an uptown street in cities are
PEELED, by the condition of The roadway.
to get on the wrong side. Pat-olmen
call their attention 70 il, but instead OF
doing il in a proper way the language is
a mixture OF Oaihs and insults. Such
cases are not the rule. and riders often
have themselves TO blame, but l. is GER
tain that there is much room for i'm
provement by both sides. Riders should
have more respect for local laws. and
those in authority should remember that
they no more own the streets than do the
wheelmen. Forbearance is needed on
both sides.
Whether wheelmen like their treat
ment or not. they will have TO ring their
bells or get out OF il by a different route
than the courts, as will be indicated by
the following decision Of the appellate
court in the case OF the city of Emporia
against Waggoner:
Kansas Court OF Appeals, Southern De
partment. Central Division.
The City OF Emporia. Plaintiff
E. W. Wagner, Defendant.
Where the power 10 regulate the riding |
OF bicycles on the streets Of a city de- !
voted 10 the passage ~ vehicles. IS vest !
ed in municipal councils OF cities 81 the |
second class by act OF the legislature. I
this court viii not say as matter ~ |
law. that an ordinance requiring every |
person using bicycle 70 ring an alarm !
bell upon approaching any and all Cross /
ings or cross walks s unreasonable.
Memorandum: Error from Lyon dis |
trict court. ". A. RAN DOLPH,
Judge.
TIE opinion states the material facts. /
Affirmed. Z. y. EVANS,
City Attorney. Attorney f5- Plaintiff.
I. 3. and J. NJ. KELLOGG.
Attorneys Tor Defendant
Tie opinion % the court was delivered I
BY J. Schoonove-
The defendant was convicted in the
police cour OF the c.sy Of Emporia Tor /
not ringing the alarm bell attached . I
his bicycle. as required by section one