Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-05-11

judge or what jury would punish the
citizen for checking the anarchistio auto
maniac before he brushes a victim rather
than after.
All methods of regulation are futile.
Motors must be banished from the high
ways unless majority in a community
desire them. A salutary and just auto
mobile bill passed the Minnesota Senate
last winter and had majority in the
House, but the automaniac minority by
filibustering prevented vote, and they
are marked men from now on. This bill
provided that counties might decide
through their commissioners whether
automobiles should be allowed on the
highways. This clause of county option
should include responsibility by the
county as co-defendant in suits for dam
age against automaniacs, known or I'M
known. The county to look to its CO.
partner for Reimbursement
The people can easily have their way
in this matter if they will unite and act.
They should do both, in justice to the
innocent victims already sacrificed and
to prevent further destruction. The first
step should be the withdrawal OF patron
age and support from every journal and
public man favorable to the automaniacs.
Let them feel the heavy hand of the
displeasure of the people where it will
hurt Why should we give them clubs
to beat out our brains with? Our con-
tinued support of journal or man favor
able to automobiles will be construed as
a commentator of their course. We
invite our own destruction by giving
them such support and may sit at the
next funeral of a crushed victim of a
murderous automaniac conscious of aid
ing and abetting the crime. Are we
helpless, inert and PROSTATE offerings
to juggernaut or are we men? If men,
indeed let us defend our lives and the
lives of those dear to us. Let us resist
the confiscation of our highways and
make them again safe for the conduct
of our necessary business and the use
of our wives and children. Organize an
anti-automobile club in every hamlet,
village and precinct, for the common de-
fence against the automobile. The ants
would outnumber the autos thousands to
one and would surely preserve their
sacred rights and privileges from the most
outrageous invasion known in history.
Was there ever a more monstrous usur-
patton. than this seizure of the highways
by engines of death and destruction,
without purchase of right of way or
condemnation proceedings? The Federal
Government itself would not have dared
such universal arrogation of eminent
domain. The colossal impudehce of the
high handed act by which virtually
every highway in the nation has been
made through every foot of its length
grade crossing is simply astounding.
1t is astounding that we submit to it,.
Have we lost our manhood in forty years?
Whipping the degenerate Spaniard is no
proof to the contrary Swearing Smiths
Ten Thousand that saved Banks army
on Redsriver could have driven the whole
Spanish nation into the sea. If we are
really men in this day and generation
we will say to the automaniacs, thus far
and no further. Get on to your own
right of way if you can buy one and
stay there. The highways which the
people have given and maintain are es-
sential to the business life of the nation
and shall not be confiscated to the MUIR
derous pleasure of the anarchistic auto.
maniacs.
M. Il. GRATTAN,
Preston, Mimi, Dec. 4, 1905.