The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1910-10-24
AND HUMAN, LIFE.

MID The automobiles has again taken It's toll 81 lite
k5n Richmond \ kindly physician, man whose
life Eas been pitched on the plane OF Hohte ahd
Snnseliish service. has suffered the agony OF see
ging his machine crush out the HE 81 httie boy.
n His own PAIN al the tragedy can only DC eN-
eeed,d By that OF the parents OF the lad, who IN
Nh instant VIZ. transformed from a happy and
gAigorous child into Hoftaily wounded piece Of
aaase1asclo>> humanity The fact that this lates'
aAerid.nt Was uue which could hot have been fore
seen OF prevented Is snail balm either To The be-
B sraved parents or 10 The careful physician whose
EAR has cost y life
&As Such accident serves chiefly 10 point the
B4rnth that the automobile Is an established fact
lt Is nect ssars To modern life. II Is longer
SSxehicle Of pleasure. II has lis place the
&NRreets and III commerce. Nevertheless, 1t rs
deadly. The inevitable risk ia its i the
price which lnlst be paid for lis usefulness The
bniy practical public policy Is one OF minimizing
n present danger.
*8 There are Two practical ways in which this
lay be done. education OF The public to the dan
2lers Ut the streets and roads and realization by
3riyers Of The perits inseparable from the ma
hines they manage The education III The pub
IN Including, especially instruction OF children
nstLe simple rules Of caution. Is a matter almost
%atirely dependent on personal attitude; the edu-
1tion OF those who handle the may he torel-
4y Impressed By laws which enforced.
Richmond has number Of automobile laws,
ell designed 10 guard the public safety. Chaut=
efs must be licensed. They must be of prac-
4scalls mature age. There ordinances respect
1nKe proper warnings controlling The Limit Of
Np1ed- Ii nll21 Le-.4ld however, That these Laws
6fn more henored IN the breach than N the OBJ
efgance. On this page print comnnulea-
&SlOn which speaks for itself concerning the neg
|Saaect Of one regulation which The ltfqntau some
.tllne ago insisted upon and which fnally
passed BY Council. Thai regulation is designed
Ez3O prevent the running Of ears by children. Ii
Msbnght. iii orr opinion 10 include women, foi
&Ihe reason that the automobile Is nothing else
shan All engine the highway aud as such
should be operated only by people thoroughly
|Hyersed in lis management aud proven to be OF
strong hand aud steady nerve. The crises Of
sntrpet traffic by automobile are numerous and call
d tor anything except hvstelia undue excitement
III the correspondent referred to states that he
was all but run down by machine guided by a
Il EhiId, and common observation will bear him out
I'M the statement that this anes of all regulations
asis that which is most generally dIsregarded. Tn
SsAslcr the very eyes Of the police. children daily
n guide the rushing tons Of steel aud fire through
u crewded streets But If there has been an ar
q rxst, We have not head of it. Are the author
4 ties waiting for the tragedy which chance has SC
benefcents withheld before attempting TO en-
q force fundamental law.
sNg We repeal that fhe latest tragedy was that most
pitifni sort Of accident which Is ''nobodys fault
Fate was merely putting lis cold finger on hu
q MAN heart, Free ~ If was of criticism how
ever. ii points lis lesson and carries ts caution.
d both of which are the more important as II is
Y eonceded that such accidents must happen. and
as II Is admitted that, despite them, the automo-
n bile has come To stay.