The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-03-08

article, which appeared IN last Sat
urday's Free Press, emanated
from the pen of DR.. Ralph Elmer
green of Milwaukee.
RIGHTS or THE AUTOMOBILES.
To the Editor: In one of the evening
papers Inspector Riemer is credited with
saying to the chauffeur in the late auto
mobile accident at the Grand avenue
bridge: IF / had my way | would get a
gun and shoot you down for this.
know that Mr.. Riemer does not like the
automobile, but did not know that he
was so bloodthirsty man, and so took
the precaution of ringing him up to find
ont what he really did say. Well, MIR.
Remer did not remember what he SAID,
but he still felt that some automobile
men should be severely punished.
Now, every man will agree with the
inspector here But why limit yourself
to the chauffeur? Why permit the de-
livery wagon driver, the expressman and
a host of others to whip up their horses
and dash furiously through crowded
streetsY Or why permit the street car
or steam railroad to cross streetsat fifteen
miles an hour? Why do our reporters
and overzealous inspectors not do
little fictitious shooting when the crazy
horse runs amuck with an incompetent
driver and mains poor child for life,
az only happened Il few weeks ago? An
accident, only an accident, you answer;
and besides the driver got away-he
carried no number. But why is 1t not
merely an accident, too, when child Is
run over by motor car? Will you tell
me this2 The motorman will invariably
stop his machine and generally assist the
injured person. Should he therefore be
at a disadvantage to the cowardly driver
who whips up his horse and gets away
Milwaukee had few automobile acct
dents, and those we bad were perhaps
largely unavoidable. People must learn
10 cross the streets at the crossings.
When man runs across street be-
tween crossings, or suddenly energies
from behind vehicle or post, it matters
very little whether carriage, motor
car, or even baby carriage Is approach
ing from either way, there will be a
collision as there is no time for warn
ing, and you can not come to an in
slant stop. | have perhaps made as
many miles with the motor car in this
city as the next man, and while | have
acquired certain degree Of skill in
handling my machines, | am no more
immune from such accidents az lately
happened in this city than is any other
driver be he horse man or motor
man.
The motor car is entitled to the same
privileges and immunities that is &C
corded the street car, the horse vehicle,
or the pedestrian, and motorists while
awakening to their responsibilities should
also remain awake to their rights, and
severely resent the brutal discourtesy of
overzealous minions of the law
The automobile and truck motor are
here 10 stay, and it will only be a matter
of few years when the horse will be
barred from all down town streets
When that day comes our streets will re.
main hard and clean, and filth and
disease will disappear proportionately.
We have become 20 reconciled to being
killed by the horse, the steam railroad
and the electric car that we pass over
these daily accidents without comment
yet every little automobile accident il
faithfully chronicled in some sensational
paper, and every fool jumps at the OPP
portunity Of joining the mob in its abuse
Of some unfortunate chauffeur
notice in reliable statistical paper
now before me that in forty seven states
4,219 persons were killed and 10, 105 in
jured by horses in eleven months
The coroper's report of Chicago, for
the month of October shows 233 violent
deaths Of which only one resulted from
an automobile accident.
The health report of Milwaukee for
twelve consecutive months shows no
death by the automobile Truly a re.
markable record!
The ratio Of deaths in New York for
one year is taDulated by the New York
Herald as follows Horses, 40 per cent;
steam railroads, 30 per cent electric rail
roads, ID per cent; boats (all classes, 10
per cent; automobiles, . per cent.
Yet, final word If you want to re-
duce the ratio Of accidents you must
raise the standard Of citizenship. Glass
legislation, police badgering, and the
talk of prejudiced populace will do
little toward awakening that personal
responsibility so essential to the careful
driver-be he chauffeur, motorman. en-
gineer, or horse man. If you want a re-
sponsible chauffeur imbued with a pro.
per regard for the rights Of others you
must first of all make better citizen of
him by giving him a fair deal. The
street gamin who throws mud and stones
at every passing machine, or the police