The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-06-20
THEY ARE LAwBREAxERs.

the limit. and that the people will not continue to submit to a danger that is real and in most instances avoid- able. The New York Times tells us that the justices of what is known as the Court of Sessions have determined that in addition to the customary fines they will impose "a sentenoo of con- finement in the city prison upon per- sons a second time found guilty of urging automobiles to unlawful speeds"
 We note also that the authorities of Kansas City propose adopting the same plan. As The Journal says. "a few days in jail would cure the most incorrigibls scorcher." and we may add that no other remedy Is likely to prove effectuaL In most cases in the East the machines are owned and used by wealthy men on whom the merely nominal fine usually impos sd has no more effect than would mild lecture from the Judge. If no other punish ment Is imposed except a fine. which one of these rich men can pay as eAsi- ly as he can buy Q cigar, there will be no cessation of the dangerous hab- it, but a jail sentence would sit very uncomfortably on one of these arfo : gant millionaires, and would have an effect not to be attained by fines.
 That the great danger from this reckless speeding is not imaginary Is evident to any one who reads tho newspapers. and the damage Is not confined to those who are run oves. The chauffeurs and the passengers not infreouently pay with their lives the penalty of scorching. Only a few nights ago several lives were lost by the driver of an auto running into an open drawbridge, in Chicago. we be- lieve 1t was. but the city ooes not mat ter. The chauffeur knew that the drawbridge was open at certain times to permit vessels to pass. What Is more. when he neared the river on this occasion he found another auto and several cabs drawn up on the other side, and common sen1e should have taught him that they would not Le waiting there if the crossing was safe. Nevertheless, he did not reduce the speed of his machine hut plunged into the opening and into the river. causing his own death and that of two or three others. That 10 lights or warning signals were displayed may have been criminal carelessness in someN one. but certainly that, instead of accusing the chauffeur. should have made him more careful, and should have led him to investigate before proceeding. but as one paper expresses 1t. the throttle was open" and the re- suit was fatal.
 Another Chicago case is equally in- excusabie. but the victim was a wo- man, Mrs. Eliza Woods. who was run and The Tribune says of the incident:
 Witnesses in another automobile say the vehicle was being run forty miles an hour at the time of the acci- dent. That was in fragrant violation of law. When its occupants saw what had taken place. instead of turning back to assume responsibility for their Iawless conduct and its terrible result, they fled at increased speed. Having tinued to violate the law and risked injuring or killing others for the pur- pose of getting away
 Here was an instance of both reck- lessness and brutality, and we suppose no one will claim that a fine of any amount would be adequate punish ment in such cases. Nothing but rigid application of criminal law would fit such brutality as was displayed by The Tribune expresses 1t: For the automobilist who kills men or women while going at too high a rate of speed. the penitentiary; for the one who violates the speed ordinances, but Is lucky enough not to hurt anybody, the Jail," and we think people gener- ally will approve the suggestion.
 From Goshen. N. r.. and from Bos- ton and Saugus. Mass. come accounts within the last few days of three oth- CT killings, each of which was direct ly due to reckless speeding. In each case. so far as one may judge from the published reports, there would have been no fatality if the chauffeur had been going at reasonable speed. and had exercised due care. All of these cases. and others that we read of ev- cry day. show the necessity of strict laws rigidly enforced. These reckless auto drivers. as a contemporary puts 1t. "are simply law-breakers of a dan gerous type and should be dealt with without mercy"