The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-30
A auEsTaas OF MOMENT.


 The honorable board of aldermen of the ancient city of New Haven have be- fore them very serious question; no less than that Of determining whether roller skates are vehicles or over shoes. Under the laws and ordinances of that city, vehicles are not allowed on the sidewalks and there's where the puz- gle comes in. Somebody has been com plaining of children skating on the sidewalks with their rollers. claiming that the noise is annoying to their peace of mind. and that the things are one has been run over and sma shed and otherwise diseommoded. but certain 1t is that some citizens have complained and the aldermen are working their brains overtime. If these skates are vehicles they clearly have no more right on q sidewalk than beer-wagon has, but if they should be classed as evershoes the sidewalk is as free to them as to others.
 What these city fathers want to do is to set their thinking machines to work and remember that children can not be grown-up folks if they would, and that they must enjoy themselves in some way. 'sueh recollection" re- marks The New Haven Register, would vastly help in settling the contention. It might be remembered. and if not re- membered, observed, that the live youth, in whose veins course the red blood of health, must go. Roller skat- ing is somewhat novel and highly at- tractive method of going" The roll lers are inexpensive nowadays. and sidewalks are better than they used to be. Hence the popularity of the sport. The necessity that remains Is to face the facts fairly. and let common sense settle such contention as thsfe Is. Un- less practiced in the street Itself tho sport is not dangerous. The rollers do HOL nAEl blUCWdihS any NHdA do slloe-nails. The skaters make It, tie racket. but not enough to hurt, any body. They do not seriously get in the way of pedestrians. And they have an overwhelming right to live and have their fun. They are annoying. some- times. but they can't in this respect compare with some older person, some- times. Let them alone"
 To us it really seems like a trivial matter to raise such a bother about. In the crowded business portion of . large city, where the sidewalks are all ways crowded with people, 1t may be all right to bar the roller skaters, but out in the residence portions 1t looks roll. Unlike those of the country the children of the crowded cities have lit- tie though space or opportunity for sport and recreation. and 1t seems like unnecessary cruelty to shut them out from this. which is a pleasant and healthful exercise. Let them roll, we should say, and enjoy themselves in the years when enjoyment is possible. for time will come soon enough when they will no longer enjoy childish things. The ordinary rollers. with the weight of small child on them can do no real injury to a well built side walk. and the noise they make, unless it is in the immediate vicinity of the sick, is not enough to justify their banishment. And if the little folks are not allowed to enjoy themselves in this way they may find something far more hurtfuI and dangerous to occupy them. The New Haven city fathers should hold a meeting and solemnly resolve that roller skates are overshoes, and that they have a right to travel on the sidewalks.