The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1914-08-01
AT OUR PERIL.

WE want to publicly and vehement
ly protest against the everlastingly
hackneyed declaration that "automo-
biles are directly responsible for mod
ern good reads" We don't know how
the good roads feel toward this state
ment of their paternity, but for our
selves we will grant it with 60 horse
power alacrity, if only farmers-day
orators and city editors will stop max
ing it. 1t is not the fact, it is the end
less reiteration of the fact that gets
on ones nerves. Governors, Congress
men and others of officialdom who
have to pay the penalty of high posi-
ton by being constantly called on to
seem wiser than they are, this limited
circle of our fellow citizens may find
the poor old wind-broken phrase a
convenience on public occasions, but
the public itself must find it decided
bore. Whereas the automobiles are
entirely justified in making "kick"
against any such assumed limitation
of their widespread usefulness. They
are entitled to many distinctions over
and above their fatherhood of good
roads.
Psychologically, for example, they
are wizards. Five minutes in the pos
session Tor even in the hospitable oc-
cupancy) of motor car will convert
many an ordinarily sane and respect
able citizen into more different kinds
of a fool than are Mentioned in the
hooks. They are the premiers of high
finance. They are not run on gaso-
line at all-popular delusion to the
contrary Notwithstanding. They are
run on the unfathomable mysteries
of modern financiering where "How to
live on nothing a year and keep an
automobile" is a conundrmm to no.
body but the plain, old-fashioned folks
who still think it good form Gf not
common honestly to pay the grocer and
butcher occasionally, and in moments
of exceptional virtue, the newspaper.
However the rest of our human kind
may feel toward motor cars, we never
fail to contemplate them with awe,
while the wonder grows at their power
to turn poor folks rich. A beautifully
appointed car, with its endless devices
for using up money, is an awe-lnsplr-
ing sight in the happy hands OF a
neighbor who has been thoughtfully
apologizing for four years that he
must ask us "to wait little longer"
on that "little temporary loan which
had fully expected to have returned
long ago" But what is a deferred
payment Oman accommodation loan,
what account is to be taken of the
"butcher, the baker, the candle-stick
maker" when your friend is engaged
with burning up several dollars worth
of gasoline a day in the wild JOY of
living. Nay, nay, what automobiles
have done for good roads is not cir
cumstance to what they have done for
enlarged book keeping.
Far be it from our thought to at
tempt any complete enumeration of
the automobiles uses, but living in
and writing for an agricultural COM
munity, we want to emphasize its
peculiar value to the farmers. 1t can
do more to make him forget (and
withal neglect) his crops than any
invention that was ever put on the
market. Which is o. course highly
desirable achievement, and the basis
we presume, of DISTINGUISHED Gov
errors advice to farmers "to mortgage
the farm and buy an automobile.
Wise, progressive, up-to-date farmers
will doubtless profit by the advice,
preserving the mortgage forever and
aye as a happy testimonial of the
motor-car. The mortgage and the
motor-car-it's a sweet Alteration
and the farmer who gets it trippingly
on his tongue is in fair way to be
Governor-or the Governors fool.
Our readers will understand that we
are referring to these phases of this
subject in the mere hope that one or
more of them may be adopted occas
ionally as a substitute for the "father
of good roads" cry. The hope is pos
sibly unfounded. Our way of looking
at the autos usefulness may not be
ceptable-possibly not even popular.
Folks are differently made up and
there be those who do not smile on
the suggestion that before one takes
to luxuries, he should pay for his ne
cessities.
Ergo, there are some 375 motor cars
in this poor little village, any one of
which we may expect to run US down
ruthlessly at its first opportunity. 1t
would soothe the owners feelings
and incidentally relieve him for time
from the daily meeting of creditor.
There are things in life that justify
murder. Asking lordly motorist to
pay his debts is one of them.