The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1910-05-09
MOTOR REFLECTIONS,

The point of view makes all the diff
ference in the world. This is an old
truth which has been given spicy illus
| tratlon by contributor to the Atlantic
Monthly, who takes up the idea in
PARALLELS in Motors.'' Those who ride
In motor cars have an entirely differ.
ent point of view from those who mere.
~ see them whizz past. But to see this
change of view exemplified in one per.
son within very short time is humor-
Gus enough; and this is the way that
the writer in the Atlantic shows that
difference:
The other day was escorting an elder
~ philanthropist across crowded street,
lree speech. gems OF which / herewith
string together without exhibiting the
thread OF my own colorless reJolnders.
raeenas aa you % t,,nHn ever see anYthlns SO out;
IN righteous wrath, as we Just escaped
oeins crushed between taxi-cab and
a huge touring car. Automobiles are
such insolent advertisements OF wealth! /!
| don't see how their owners can endure
being either hated or envied by that
portion OF the world that has not yet
man being automobiles kill, they create
a socialist They are vulgar, hideous,
death dealing machines, put In the igno-
rant hands OF the fools who own them and
the knaVes who run them. Now look at
those little children trying TO cross the
sireet-and that poor old lady! I de-
clare. the chauffeur Is simply chasing her
for bis own cruel sport-huntIng her as
he would fox, and blowing his horn"
Then-ln italics-"I can't sec how q self
respecting person with any love or re-
gard for humanity can own n motor"
The next time l. saw my vlndictive
friend she was tucked up In borrowed
plummage. and comfortably installed in
the limousine OF an acquaintance who
had kindly placed her car at our dis
posal TO visit some distant charitable
institution of which we were both dlrec-
tors. II was my friends maiden trip in
an automobile, and as we bowled gayiy
along she seemed to have forgotten en-
tirely our last meeting and conversa-
is delightful" she said, sinking back
among the cushions with an air Of per-
feet ease and familiarity, How safe
we seem! | really think IL would do no
harm If the chauffeur should so a little
faster, DO look at those stupid women
rushing across the street like frightened
hens! ] should think they'd see we're
not going TO run into them Now look a
those children, It's outrageous that they
should make II so hard for the chauffeur
TO avoid running over them. II we killed
one of those foolhardy little idiots. peo-
pie would blame Us. and It wouldn't be
our fault at 3ll-tt would be simply
case Of suicide"
I acquiesced In her views. as ] had
After all there Is great deal to be
said for these motors she continued
1udiclaly They are not only perfectly
delightful TO ride In, but they make all
kinds Of difficult things easy. and really
most Of the people who own them arc
very apt 10 be very considerate to those
who are less fortunate. There are GER
tainly two sides 10 automobiling."
The change of view was so natural,
so absolutely fitting in with evervone's
experience, that the issue is quite to be
expected, The philanthropic lady's
next move. of course, was to get mo-
tor car herself, and this is the way the
writer in the Atlantic was called in
council and ignominiously failed either
to read the lesson or to give his ad,
vice:
BY way of an irrelevant postscript I
will mention that when | stepped In yes
terday for n cup OF tea with the lady
who could not see how any self-respect-
ing person could own motor" l found
her showed under pile OF circulars
stating the rival claims OF various auto
mobiles.
Should you advise me to get run
about. or n touring carr she asked me
with perfect seriousness.
But i could not choose between them.
for what I consider the most important
part Of motors-the parable-was equally
sound In each.
1t Is practical picture Of everyday
experience that everyone will enjoy.
both those who own motors and those
who do not; but the latter will enjoy it
the least, because they do not have at
the Joyous sensation of float
ing along the smooth surface, and with
the exhilarating feeling that a motor
car ride gives TO those who are able TO
have it, The lesson is very pretty one,
and it is susceptible of being applied TO
other matters than TO motor cars. The
person s mind.