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

MONSTERS OF THE PUBLIC ROAD
BY ROBERT G. COUSINS, C. E, LID,
Ia Womnns Wm3
BIZ ROBERT G. COUSINS, @. E.. ID. D.,



partment vehicles, patrol wagons,
and perhaps conveyances used By
doctors, should be specially licensed
TO have the right Of way at high
speed in the interest Of alI the peo-
pie; but unless specially licensed. no
machine with a capacity OF speed ex-
ceeding fifteen miles an hour should
be allowed to run upon the public
thoroughfares in times OF peace.
Today il is admittedly true that
most automobiles are run at reckless
and unlawful speed. A few ma
serve good and useful purposes, but
most Of them are operated for selfish
indulgence and pleasure, and III most
instances Of high speed il would mat
ter little, so far as the general good
Of mankind is concerned, whether
the occupants Of the machines ever
arrive where they think they are GO
ing or not.
The operation Of automobiles on
the streets and highways today is
practically the same as though so.
many railway locomotives were turn
ed loose on the thoroughfares, except
that in the operation Of locomotives
the engineer must be an experienced
driver, must know the construction
Of his engine, both in the school Of
theory and experience. I'd the case
Of automobiles, few who run them.
especially Of the owners, know much
about the mechanism Of tbs machine
and little Of the danger DC high
speed. Ever since the establishment
of railways the operators have been
held to q strict accountability. They
have had to pay heavily for damages.
They have been required to use great
precaution in all matters involved il.
their running and operation. Their
engines and cars are operated on well
established tracks 80 that people
know exactly whore to look for them.
Automobiles are operated upon DO
definite track and on NO time schedule.
They kill and cripple every day and
/ night, and yet Nw of them have been
held responsible for damages to prop
erty or for life and limb.
The question arises, what shall be
the remedy? It is reported that in
Austria and France owners Of auto
mobiles are held absolutely response
ble and accountable by Law for all
damages done BY their machines.
That would probably be effective here
except in casualties Of the night time,
when the numbers Of the machines
and the identity OF their occupants
cannot be established, and up to date
the laws Of Austria and France seem
to be practically Ineffective. Is
seems that the only remedy is to
prohibit absolutely the use Of ma
chimes with dangerous speed capacity
upon the public street and highways.
Il some such remedy is not en-
forced, what shall law abiding citi-
zens do to protect their lives and
those Of their families? If & reckless
person INDUCES in the sport Of throw
ing bricks out Of the tenth story of
q building, endangering and men
acing the lives of ~passerabY, what IS
the right and the duty Of the citizen
Stop the brick thrower BY whatever
means is necessary. Ii some one
shoots birdshot Unfortunately on
the streets just for the fun of it, en-
dangering the lives OF everybody IN
the vicinity, what is to be done?
Stop the foolish scoundrel by what
ever means is necessary. If 5 law
abiding citizen sees a machine being
driven at reckless, Wanton and I'M
lawful speed upon q public thorough
fare, menacing the lives of his fam.
lily, what is he to do, what in fact is
his duty? Stop the machine by what
ever means may be necessary.
Recently in an outlaying park of
one Of our largest cities, operators
Of automobiles persisted il speeding
in violation Of law, and finally officers
placed distractions on the streets as
the only means Of stopping the dan
gerous and vicious speeding. This
was thought by the speeders to be
an outrage, and yet was the mildest
remedy that seemed possible.
notwithstanding the appalling ca
~tastrophies that are occurring from
day to day, we are told that the au
tomobile has come to stay Prob
ably, but not at such speed that con-
stantly menaces and endargers hu-
man life. The ninety and nine Of
every hundred people Of this and
other countries will not abandon the
public thoroughfares TO o single class
comprising less than one per cent Of
all the population. &c selfish. reck-
less and indulgent class must run
faster than the majority Of mankind.
let them build their apeedways and
kill each other If they viii, but theY
must not be permitted to continue To-
terrorize and kill the people whose
toll and tax maintain the public thor
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