The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1902-06-21
THE ROAD AND THE AUTOMOBILE.
The Outlook.

Inc OuU0Ok.
More is said about freedom in this country
than in any other country in the world, but
there is no other country in which private
rights must be preserved by such incessant
struggle. The free play Of individuality
here, and the emphasis on individual action,
breed spirit of restiveness which shows itself
in a constant tendency to override private
rights of all kinds and 10 ignore the limits
within which individual action ought to be
confined. The highways of the country, like
its forests, its public lands, its mines, and all
other forms of public property, are constantly
invaded by corporations or by individuals, and
must be preserved by constant struggle. Many
of them have already been lost.
The latest encroachment upon the liberty of
the highway-and that means the liberty OF
the men, women, and children who use it
comes from the automobile. The self-pro-
polling vehicle in some form must be recog-
nized as positive factor in the road life OF the
future 1t has come, as the phrase runs, TO
stay but, like every other vehicle, it must
conform strictly to the laws OF the road, and
the man who guides it must recognize the
rights of Others or neither he nor his machine
will be permitted to use the highways. The
highways are places of public resort, open to
meD, WCmeU, anu CllluIeu at Ill Lluucc lOI
their own convenience, and nothing ought to
be allowed upon them which in any way
ieopardizes the liberty the comfort or the safety
of intelligent and prudent people. The auto
mobile, as it is managed by many persons, re-
CARDS neither safety nor comfort 1t simply
takes possession of the road as If the road were
private thoroughfare.
A few rules ought to be clearly laid down
and rigidly enforced in every part of the coun-
try. The terrible accidents constantly in
creasing in number, are so wholly without
reason OF cause that they are likely to produce
a popular revolt against the automobile, unless
the automobile learns to respect the rights OF
others. First, the limit of speed ought to be
rigidly fixed, and it ought not to exceed rate
which makes the road safe for pedestrians
drivers of horses, and riders of wheels. When
that rate is exceeded, the driver of the automo-
bile ought to have the hand of law laid on him
with weight and certainty which will be un.
mistakable. Secondly, no vehicle of any kind
which is portentous in form or offensive to the
senses ought to be allowed on the public high
ways. Some of the large racing automobiles
are almost as portentous in form as locomo-
tives would be. Large in bulk, brilliantly
painted, producing great noise. they are
things of terror not only to horses but TO men
and women as we'll. They have no business
upon our highways. Nor ought the evil smell
an unmitigated nuisance along all the high
ways which they follow. Thirdly, there ought
to be no racing on our public highways. If
owners of automobiles wish to race, let them
have tracks of their own There is painful
disregard of both public and private rights on
the part of many owners of automobiles which
ought to have prompt and effective rebuke
brutal indifference to the safety and comfort
of others which ought to have adequate penal
ties attached. Unless rules like these are en-
acted and enforced, it is to be feared that the
abuse of the automobile may lead to scenes of
violence in different parts of the country,
which will be not the less regrettable because
of the great proyocations which brutal indif
ference to public safety sometimes offers.