Polk County observer. (Monmouth, Polk County, Or.) 1888-1927, 1907-09-13
NO BACKWARD STEP.

A retitiDD Tor an DInlDdnD' Po'"'''
ting the riding u bicycles on the
sjdewaIks Of Dallas is being circu-
lated and will he presented 10 the city
council in the near future. For the
credit II Dallas as an up-to-date and
progressive town, it is TO be hoped
that this petition will not be granted
bv the council. The repeal of the
existing ordinance would be a
decidedly backward step-one that
would benefit only a few people and
inconvenience many.
Dallas took the lead In abollshIng
the bicycle nuisance many years ago
and nearly every town Of importance
in Oregon has since followed her
example. Salem is about the only
town where the custom is still per
mitted and right at this time the eitl-
zens Of the Capitol, backed by the
daily papers, are making determined
effort b put the bicycles in the street,
where they belong. Only a few days
ago. the Statesman printed an editorial
severely condemning the practice OF
riding wheels on the sidewalks and
characterizing Salem as the ''moss-
back town Of Oregon" for permitting
the nuisance 30 exist.
The privilege Of riding wheels on
the sidewalks would doubtless be
appreciated by a few business men.
II would also be hailed with delight
By gang Of young hoOdlums, who,
caring nothing for the rights or safety
Of pedestrians, would quickly sieze
the opportunity to make the sidewalks
Tace-course. The business men
would ride carefully and would
end yor 10 respect the special
privileges given them. The idle boys
and girls would race up and down the
walks, iiDgling their bells in the ears
II civil pedestrians and making them
selves a nuisance generally. This
was the state u affairs before the
existing ordinance was passed, and
there is no reason to believe that 1t
would be otherwise if the law should
be repealed.
n an effective ordinance could be
passed limiting the privilege to bust
ness men only, there would probably
be no objection from any quarter,
Notwithstanding the fact that "A bicycle
is a vehicle, and, as such, belongs in
the street But an ordinance permit
ting certain persons TO ride aud for
bidding others the same right would
come under the head Of class legis-
latiOn and would not be worth the
paper on which il was written. An
attempt to solve this problem by limit
ing the speed and restricting the
privileges Of the riders would prove
ineffective, as "A dozen special police
men would be required in enforcing
the law. Even then, the people in the
outlying residence districts, where the
nuisance is always the greatest, would
be without protection.
The OBSERVER believes that the
present law is good law. 1t believes
that it voices the sentiment Of large
majority Of the men aud women Of
Dallas when it expresses the hope that
this law will not be changed. As far
rs the petition is concerned, it is more
than probable that the greater number
OF signcrs are men who care little
about the matter one way or the other.
Petitions are easily obtained now
adays; one can get petition for
almostanything The present council
men are nearly, il not all, experienced
officers, and they know the utter
worthlessness OF petition as an
expression Of the real desires of the
people. How many times these coun.
cilmen have had some one take them
around the corner and whisper. Il
signed Jones' petition Yesterday, but
| hope the council will not grant it,
You see, Jones. is good friend aud
customer Of mine, and | didn like 10
offend him, So put down my name"
This Is the way signatures 70 peti-
tion are secured not all signatures,
but many aud il shows Of how little
worth a petition is nowadays.
The first bicycle ordinance in Dallns
was passed in the face Of "A large
remoustraucc, aud inside Of six
months many Of the business men
who had been riding wheels expressed
their hearty approval Of the law and
the hope that it would bee retained on
the city statute books. One dav u
councilman saw @ reckless vuung
wheclman run agaiusta baby carriarr
in front u the Chapman furniture
stone and throw the tiny occupant
headlons 20 the sidewalk. \ few davs
later an old grey haired mother