The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1903-06-24
A Writer on Bicycles
Who Does Not Be-
come Excited
He Gives Both Sides a Hear
ing and Asks For Both
Justice and
Equity

a tender spot in the wheel worlC
IS Judging from the printers ink whic
o Is being wasted and the tongues sc
e wagging. Salem seems to have bee
aroused by this rather radical cleai
sweep proposition and the pros are a
it as hard as the cons. II would ap
p pear from the opinions expressed b.
some OF the interested. that the mat
ter had to be settled before the mex
train time. or within very shor
time The council occupies a very
trying position and II would become
us to take things easy for the present
and not hurry the council into radi
cal measure either way. The motto
OF the civilized world is. "Arbitrate d
Therefore. II we look at the two sides
which be, and viii concede something
to the "other fellow" we will more
nearly reach a satisfactory agreement
for all concerned. II appears from
arguments presented that there are
comparatively few who are willing to
discuss the matter without bias. A
wheelman. for some unknown reason.
seems to have become endowed with
special privileges when he rides upon
the walks made and maintained for
foot passengers. He tears about the
streets, lanternless, BELLIES. and
most OF the time, senseless. (This is
not the general description. but with
enough OF the riders II Is true to
have brought the matter before the
councll0 There are certain riders
who dash around corners, scorch past
open gates where children and babies
are at play, rudely ring aged and
respectable ladies' into the fence or
on the walks to allow them to idly
tear around town wasting their time
when they should be at work or try.
ing TO learn something. riders who
ride close behind walkers and force
them TO interrupt their conversation
and destroy the sense OF their talk.
in order for them 10 pass when they
could have taken TO the other side OF
the street as well. | have seen no
less than a hundred wheels fleeing
homewards without lights. These are
the things which bring wrath upon all
wheelmen. For wheelmen TO allow a
few young cubs" 10 carry on in this
style, is TO sanction their methods
and they naturally help pay the pen.
atty in our efforts to restrict these un.
educated riders who evidently ride
after the model presented by the
wheels they have in their heads.
These palpable and fragrant wrongs
must be stopped before the bicycle
will ever win favor with those who
walk. II is an insult to be engaged
In conversation OF concern TO you
and be Obliged to break in on IL for
some young dandy who should have
respected your conversation and re
Trained from interruptlng. There is
also another phase OF this element
of wild and careless riders, and this
will both surprise and astonlsh you,
but there are as many foolish riders
among the girl-folks as among the
boys. know whereof l speak for
have been run over, knocked-down.
and rode through several times and
generally by young ladies. presume
my critics viii say | should have TAX.
en- myself out Of the way, but in some
cases l believe the riders were SO
forcibly arrested by my manly form
they didn't really realize the danger
10 me, and in such cases do not hold
any of them TO blame blame myself
in these cases. Girls ride up to with
In sixteen-millioneth OF an inch be-
hind you. and then IL you don't get up
tree quick enough, they are either
over you or through you. II you don't
manage to let them get around you.
So much for the broneho busters,
They are only good for one thing that
can see from where | am setting.
and that Is. they should be sent TO
Washington and ride up and down the
Capitol grounds so that Teddy can
look a. them nom out the window.
He would enjoy the scene as much as
skinnins a grizly bear with one hand
There Is another class Of riders who
do not get new wheel every year
and who carry tin bucket. You usu.
ally meet them about ave. six or
seven IN the morning, Cscorchers at
this hour are generally in bsd---lf they
have got home yeti. These riders
Hive In the suburbs and 80 long dis.
tanees to work They ride slowly and