The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1906-01-27
1lCYCLE and AUTOMOBILE
THE SPEED MANIA THREATENS
MOTOR CAR INDUSTRY.

iSSONI'fS l0OfCC III lIS WI
Mind-WiII Like Causes Produc
Like Effects, as in the Case of tn
Wheel?
The history of sports and pastime
in this country furnishes no pirall
TO the rapid growth in popularity 0
the bicycle, and its even more sud
den decline as a means of recreat iol
Its decline is renGere the more puZ
| zling when We remember that thu
medical profession indorsed bicyCl
riding as being, when followed il
moderation, OF valuable assistance i!
keeping the body in good condition
and in the cure and prevention OF Ger
tain aim nts that arise from seien
amount OF outdoor exercise. So true
! is this that il il were possible to
gather the testimony OF the hundreds
of thousands OF people in this coua.
try, whose wheels" ar to-day rus-
ing in the cellar, or stored vigorously
among the top attic lumber, it would
be found that not few thousands o.
them would readily admit that they
have never enjoyed the perfect health
which was theirs when the Sunday
trip into the country or the evening
ride ON the boulevards or cycle paths
formed an important and pleasurab.e
item in the routine of their lives
The causes for the decline were
&c 10
one that is threatening the automo
bile to-day-people rode too fast and
too far; and thoSa who were no,
gifted with the muscular and cons'i
tutional equipment necessary for
riding centuries, or even half-centur-
les, without distress, began to asso-
ciate the bicycle with aching limbs
and an exhausted body. Another and
scarcely less active cause of the de-
cline was the Introduction OF cheap
bicycles, and the placing OF the
wheels within reach of everybody who
could find the necessary forty to fifty
dollars for its purchase. Bicycling
became unfashionable; and in this re-
spect the decline of wheeling is one OF
the most startling signs of the fact
that the American people are fast
losing that independent, democratic
spirit which for three centuries has
been one of the distinguishing charac-
teristics of the race. When the fad
became unfashiona BILE it's death-knell
as pastime Of universal popularity
was sounded. The bicycle VS. rele
gated to uses purely unitarian. AS
a means of transportation it will al
ways fill useful place in the econo-
my Of everyday life; but that bicy-
cling will ever win back anything OF
It's former position as one OF the most
and popular means OF
recreation is most improbable.
But what of the automobile? Will
ike causes produce like effects? Al
ready the speed mania is threatening
10 work injury to automobile interests
BY multiplying the lists of casual les
and provoking a prejudice in the pub
ic mind. 1t is gratifying to know
hat earnest efforts are being made |
)y the great body Of Automobiles as
| whole to prevent reckless driving, |
Ind save this splendid sport from the |
larm that was done to bicycling by |
he growth of the ''scorching" habit. |
The Introduction of cheap and reliable |
ain firms do not miscarry, the market
will within the next two or three years
re flooded with such) will bring the
automobile within reach of the pocket
'ook of ten times as many people as
an afford machine under existing
OnditiOnS. Before many years the
concourses and turnpike
Dads will swarm with devotees of the
port. Shall we in this splendid
leans of recreation see repeated the
istory OF the bicycle? VIII it be-
ONE questionable? Possibly in
mited degree it will; although 1t
lust surely remain to the end OF time
ne of the most useful means OF
both for freight and
that invention has placed
t the service of man, rivaling. II not
the locomotive and the
'olley car.
There Is this much to be said In
lvor OF the prospects of the automo.
lie maintaining its present popularity
) a means OF recreation, namely, that,
Mike the bicycle, it affords means
travel that is comparatively free
ON effort, and may be made, II so
esired, positively luxurious.-Scien-
fic American.
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