St. Landry clarion. (Opelousas, La.) 1890-1921, 1910-07-02

highways and streets have been uni
versally constructed and maintained
by the labor and taxes Of the people.
Ihe early Romans were great con-
s~tructors Of roads, having learned
the ART from the Carthagenians. The
drst toll for the repair Of roads is
said 10 have been levied during the
time 0f Edward Ill, in 1916. Later,
IN 1855, compulsory labor was ex-
acted by law 10 keep the roads il
repair In practically all of the
states today the labor of all able.
bodied men, or It's equivalent in cash,
Is compelled BY law for the establish
ment and maintenance OF highways.
Hitherto the streets and highways
have been constructed BY and fol
the use, convenience and safety ot
al the people. not exclusively for any
one class.
Suddenly, within less than half
dozen years, a mighty change has
taken place. While the people-all
The people-continue to supply the
toll and tax for their maintenance,
The streets and highways are today
practically monopolized by a single
class, and that class, owners and
operators DC automobiles, comprises
but q small percentage Of the popula-
ton. Horse-Yehicles, the only kind
that can generally Be afforded By the
average citizen, are practically ban
ished from The boulevards and we'll
paved streets, and are frightened
from the main highways throughout
the country. The lives Of pedestri-
ans are menaced every minute of the
days and nights by a wanton reckless
ness Of speed, erippling and killing
people at q rate that is appalling.
Recently / heard the owner of q
S5, 600 automobile say that horses
had been practically driven from the
bouleYards.
a WidelYknoWn gentleman told
me recently that while dining with
an acquaintance in New York his
host consumed Che entire time Of the
evening relating his experience in
eVading fines prescribed for speeding.
The other day | saw an elderly gen
tieman who wore a button showing
that he had served bis country in
the Civil war, attempting to cross
the street in a great city where the
speed limit for automobiles pro-
scribed BY law is twelve miles pc
hour. Coming III both directions WEIR
several automobiles, footing their inn
pertinent horns q block away for
pedestrians to get out of The way.
IL required several minutes for that
distinguished citizen to get across
the street. He had helped by paying
taxes to establish and maintain the
streets, ais he had formerly by labor
to maintain the highways Id the coun-
try, and so far as justice is concern
ed had just as good a right to walk
across the street ait a moderate pace
as had the automobilist TO cross It at
b reckless and unlawful speed. /
have seen a dignifed and worthy
woman lodging with fright while at
tempting to cross a public street to
which she was as much entitled as
were the automobilists whose squak-
ing, honking horns warned and
threatened her at half a block away,
and not until an officer came to her
assistance could she cross. Not long
ago ! saw ali automobile running at
q speed Of at least twenty-five miles
AN hour on a prominent boulevard
crash into d light vehicle near the
curb, tearing il away from the horse
and demolishing it. A few days
standing beside the officer who
occupied that beat and witnessing
with him the swiftly moving autos
passing BIZ, / asked him what was
the speed limit there. He replied,
Twelve miles ain hour How fast
/ inquired, are these machines &c
Twenty-Five miles an hour at
least" he said. | asked him what in
bis opinion was the remedy. He said
that the officers had repeatedly made
arrests and the offenders we're usu-
ally let off with Il fine Of So and
sests; then be added: That does no
good; they pay the fine and go right
in speeding, Until tie penalty ID
more severe no good can be accom-
by arrests" | inquired, is
i possible for an officer to read the
numbers of machines at night time?"
de said, No"
The next night a man said to me-:
'If you want to see speed go over 10
he next block and see them fly on
.he street-car line" l went there
TIA soon ain automobile rushed by All
!. speed Of at least thirtY-fye miles
hour, running Oh the car track.
.rossfng streets frequented By pedes-
rians. and running at furious speed
within two feet of the iron pillars
llaS support the elevated railroads.
Al few weeks ago a prominent bust
.ess man of one of our great cities,
rith his family and some friends,
tarted ia an automobile from an out
,sing town fifty miles from New
Trfk City. He wished to- make a
vs o'clock II. hi. train and told the
to run for il. A few miles
ns of New York City, running at q
srrifc speed, they struck D telephone
~SseE afvfa1 inanant hhak thn