Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-07-19

would have to be 240 accidents by horses
to one by automobiles. AS a matter Of
fact, there would appear to be, from
reports in the papers at least, ten acct
dents by automobiles to one by horses.
The very serious accident recently in
Quechee we haven't seen an account of,
and therefore do not know its cause. In
recent papers we have noticed two acct
dents of orses.running away, and they
are all that we have seen for months,
but both horses were frightened by auto
mobiles. We understand third horse
was thus frightened at Montpelier re-
Gently, by which woman's leg was
broken, but all such accidents will of
course be credited against the auto
mobiles.
We have had ourselves quite large
experience with horses, owning some
40 years, to average at least so. And
these have been used in carrying thou
sands of hotel guests over some of our
steepest and toughest mountain roads,
both night and day, with but one acct
dent in which any one was seriously
injured. In this case, which happened
from young lady driving who was
not used toit, an arm was broken.
Nor do we remember in that time of
but one accident in Addison county caus-
ing death. This was that of Mr.. Wright
IN, bout IN wanna aoo
But as we have said, this has nothing to
do with the question, whether Vermonters
will be permitted to use with safety and
comfort the roads which they have built.
This is question of right, and far more
serious in its consequences than that OF
taxation without representation for
which our ancestors went into war
with Great Britain.
Our contemporary has seen fit to open
the question how newspaper should be
conducted, in reference to such an issue
as this, and undertakes to give us advice
| in the matter.
In return we will express an opinion,
and leave the question with every liberty.
loving Vermopter, whose most sacred
rights are being invaded, if not destroyed
To us paper at such time that does
not do its full duty in arousing public in.
dignation against, and organization tc
resist, so infinite wrong as this theft OF
the peoples highways, ought to be
dropped, and we should suppose would
be dropped, by every freedom loving and
self respecting citizen.
In this great contest of the people
against the aggressions of wealthy trusts
and lawless individuals, whether wealthy
or not, the Register will endeavor t.
wage still more vigorous warfare
Fortunately our last legislature gave us {
law by which this whole evil can be en-
tirely corrected, if only the selectmen O.
the different towns, or, back of them
the citizens themselves, do their who'll,
duty.
We refer to the law which recognize
the right of towns to protect the safet,
of their citizens by regulating the speed
of automobiles on all narrow or danger
GUS highways, which is practically tn,
whole; and already quite number O.
towns, and some of the most importan
in the State, have thus regulated tn,
speed; Shoreham, Cornwall and Man
chester, at six miles an hour. one at least
less than this. Woodstock, we under
stand, places it at ten.
Every town in the State should protec
themselves at once as far as possible b,
regulating the speed. And every tow
and county should see, that each membe
of the next legislature elected is pledged
to vote for law giving each town loca
option to prohibit automobiles entirely i
they think best. Nothing less than thi
will satisfy the people.
And this introduces the question of tn
higher officers, governor, lieutenant-gov
ernor, etc. No man that is not sound Oh
this great question shouldbe elected to an,
of the State offices. Nor do we thinl
that any will be. The canvass made las
summer in different towns showed tina
J over 80 per cent of the citizens are il
favor of the most stringent regulation q
automobiles. In some towns every vote
: signed such petition.
: The only possible Just settlement o
this question is, that the automObilist
2 should build their own roads: and thi