Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-04

fore the committee on ways and
bridges, and that committee brought
in a divided report in which seven
of the members of that committee
favored the bill and three opposed it.
1t is somewhat of a coincidence, gen
tlemcn, that the seven men who fav-
ored this bill on that committee were
owners and drivers of automobiles; it
is also a singular coincidence that the
other three men who opposed the
measure are men from the rural sec
lions of the State, who neither own
nor drive an automobile, but they are
accustomed to the usual method of
driving their teams in their rural COM
munities and see no reason for the
passage of this bill.
What is the reason for it? Has
there been an increase in the number
of these accidents: and if so. then
possibly there might be a demand for
a law Of this kind. / think you are
all pretty familiar with the fact that
the automobile interests have pretty
we'll controlled the situation in the
State of Maine, but the rural COM
munities feel that they have some
rights in this matter. We have pass
ed ut this session a good roads bill
in the interests of the automobilsts;
we believe it is right and We are glad
to do it because it is benefit to our
communities, but we do not believe
that the automobile interests should
have everything that they ask for.
Why should lights be attached to
vehicles in the evening? l drive
4 Il 1rixr CT A5Sgh To n
week between my office and house,
and | have not yet had any serious
accident. My friends have not met
with any serious accidents, in fact,
there have been no accidents in my
section What will be the result II
this bill is passed? You know as We'll
as | do that in the day time when
an automobile comes along the ROAD
that the ordinary team hasn't any
right to be there; the automobile
rarely gives the team half of the
road And what is the rate OF speed
that it is driven at? The law saws
that they shall not drive through VII
lagos over eight miles an hour, ana
often they are going at the rate OF
Is or more miles an hour nave
driven from Augusta to my home,
distance of Il miles. in ~ minutes Is
that within the law? In that distance
we met several teams and passed
them hardly more than half an inch
between the team and the automobile.
| say the automobilist wants three
quarters of the road driving at the
rate of 25, 80 and 50 miles an hour
don't mean TO say that all automobile
lists are hogs, but / am going to say
that the larger part of them are. NOW,
what is going to be the eiIect
if You compel the farmers TO hltch
lights ON to their carriages at hlS'ie
In the evening, under our present Ia"
the automobilist is compelled on account
of the darkness to bring his machine
within reasonable control and drive at
a moderate speed. Hang lights upon
every carriage and you Will see the
speed of the automobiles increase, be-
cause the only ambition of the automo-
bilist seems to be to get through the
world lust as quick as he can. And in
the evening If the teams all have lights
attached to them the automobiiist VIII
know Just where the teams are and MS
sneed VIII be increased. and YOU VIII
find that you will have more accidents,
a good many more than you have now
at the present time.
If this bill is passed, what will be-
come of the poor man or the poor woman
who walks on the road at night? 1uor
automobilist Is going at excessive speed
because he knows where the carriages
are, and YOU will find that somebody
will he hurt and youu will have more
accidents than you have ut the present
time.
Now TASK you, gentlemen. if you are
going to infiict upon the people of the
rural communities in this State any such
law as this? | don't believe YOU are fer
a minute. There is nobody in the rural
communities who demands the passage
of this bill; they are all against il with
| the exception of IL few automobilists,
and ] ask you in the interest of the ru-
raj communities, the people whose votes
you seek when you come here, that you
will be fair and square and honest with
them and say that there is no reason at
the present time for the passage of this
bill / hope the motion of the gentle
man from Benton (Mr. Eastman) will
prevail
Mr. COOK of Nassalboro: Mr.. Speak
er, the gentleman from Westbrook (Mr
Scates) seems to feel that So apiece ON
all of the farmers of this State is not
a very large amount. but it. amounts to
a Lax of hundreds of thousands in the
aggregate. Another point which / wish
to call to your attention, and that Is
that if reckless driver runs down a
farmers team after his light has been
jolted out instead of the farmer get
ting any damage for being thus run
down the defence will be brought in
that the man was breaking the law and
for that reason not be entitled to any
damages.
Mr. STURGIS of Auburn: Mr..
Speaker, the gentleman from Readfield
tMr. Peaeoek) said there was no one
in favor of this bill except AUTOMOBILE
lists. | simply wish to say that l be-
lieve in this bill. In connection with
my profession / am called out consid-
cradle in the dark. and l have had as
much trouble from the ordinary car
rage as / have from the automobiles.
so much so that 4 have used lights on