Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1905-10-13
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1905.
AUTOMOBILES.

In the September Goth number of the
American Horse Breeder, Boston, is a
very excellent editorial upon the use of
highways by automobiles. The ques-
ion is whether the people who build the
roads of the country and pay for their
maintenance shall be permitted to use
hem in safety, or whether they shall be
ncnopolized by those who in most cases
ave had nothing, and in all cases very
little, to do with their construction
he larger cities those who use automo-
piles may pay larger tax than they do
the country, and especially in such a
tate as Vermont. But possibly, too, in
III cities the proportion which they pay
IS comparatively small.
Here in Vermont in the great majority
If the towns no owner of an automobile
pays one cent and in no place do these
owners pay enough to hardly be consid
red in the construction of highways !;
md yet they are allowed to destroy the
comfort and endanger the lives of every
citizen or visitor in the State. Probably
no more monstrous infringement of the
lights of the people has ever been per-
petrated than this and yet the people
themselves are to a certain extent res
ponsible for it, For they have all the
power, and if they will, can at any mo-
inent prevent this great misuse of the
highways. Repeatedly we hear it said
hat automobiles practically prohibit the
women and children of the State from
Use of the highways. This was stated with
much force in the discussion upon a law
regulating their use in the legislatures of
both New York and New Jersey, at their
last sessions, although finally, we think,
the same as in Vermont at our last
legislature, the lobby succeeded in pre-
venting the passage of any efficient
Jaw for the protection of the people.
Because of this remissness on the part
Of legislatures the people have already,
in number of States, taken the matter
into their own hands, posting such roads
as they choose against use by automo-
biles. The law as it stands is unques-
uionably on the side of the people. 1t is
the business of those who have the man.
agement of the highways to remove all
nuisance6 from them and it would be
impossible for anything to be more of a
nuisance than that which threatens the
safety and lives of all who Use them.
The editorial is as follows:
The Automobile Question.
THE question of protecting the lives
and property of individuals from acct
dents caused by the running of automo-
biles upon the public roads is one that
should receive the early attention of legis-
latures especially in those states whose
inhabitants are mostly engaged in farm
ing. DIR. Billings, in an article published
in last weeks Breeder makes a plain
statement of facts. Automobiles as
usually driven on country roads are even
more dangerous to the lives and property
II the residents than would be train of
cars drawn by steam engine on rails
that were laid on sleepers in those roads.
"Automobllists have rights and SO have
the tax-paying residents of any COM
munty, The public roads are for the
use OF every one, both pleasure seekers
and those engaged in legitimate business.
Yet no man has right to endanger
human life by turning ferocious bull or
vicious stallion loose upon them. Those
who use automobiles should be given the
privilege of building roads to be used ex-