Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1915-11-12
AUTOMOBILES AND MORALITY

1t is claimed by some good folks
that automobiles are prolific source
of decentralization, in m ore ways thar
one il is positively asserted hat the
evil overcomes the good of these won
full modern machines.
1t goes without saying that this is
to put it conservatively, an extreme
view. 1t is the abuse, not the use.
Every good gift from Heaven may be
abused, and is, by many people The
automobile is no exception. Horses
and buggies, street cars, railroad
trains and even churches, may be and
have been, used unlawfully and for
evil purposes.
There are two sides to tn cauto-
mobile question. The good it has
done and is doing, is incaculable.
Our good roads, built and building,
should be placed TO the credit of the
machine. The bringing of the county
nearer town and taking the town near
er the country is another credit. Fam
lilies living ut remote distances can
visit. The folks in the country can
come to town to church and to other
meetings.. The folks in town can get
to the country churches and other
meetings and social gatherings.
From business standpoint Tie ma
chine is now almost Indispensable
One farmer drove thirty miles few
days ago, attended to the weighing
and shipping of seccral cars of cat
tie, and got back home before dinner
time. A farmer sent his son to town
in his small car for pillow point.
instead of stopping his team half Il
day. The boy was back home with
the point in less than an hour. In
case Of sudden illness in the family.
or accident, a physician miles away,
is called over the phone and i'm less
than 30 minutes or so, his car is at
your gate. All these things and
others still,a to be placed to the
credit of tic "dcmoralizing car"
Another view must not be overlooked.
Hundreds of thousands of workmcn
are employed in the manufacture of
cars. Steel mills, foundries, rubber
and leather mills, brass, oil mills ct
cetera, gives Il good living to many
thousands of families. The great
European war is one largely of ma
chimes. Wonderful industry, this.
The car, furthermore, gives tone
to the community. What would Wis
ltors think of Tazewel if they found
no automobiles here? There is the
aethestic side of the question. The hoy
and girl, particularly in the country.
are better satisfied and more self re
speeding and respected, owning and
driving a car Appearances of country
life are improved along the highways
where town and city autos bring Wis
itors. Life in town and country is
pnt on higher plane.
The auto, however, is not unmixed
good. There is another side. The
auto costs money. There are, saw in
Tazewell county, $50 machines. Count
first cost, say $1,000 25O,OO0 invest
ed in machines. Some of these ma
chimes are owned by people who can
not afford them. (No pun.) In addi
ton, say at least $4,000 year for
gasoline and oil. Repairs? We'll,
how much? The money invested i'm
autos in this county of ours is some
lhlEg immense. carry this sum on
the other side Of The ledger. Many
of these ears represent mortgaged
homes, and homes sold to pay the
bills. Some folks buy cars just to
make show-to "kccp mp" who can
ill afford them. The use of the car is
too often abused Time is wasted
which might be better employed. Sun.
day Schools and Sunday services sui.
fer. The cars tear and wear tho
roads to pieces. One car on road, il
is estimated, does more harm in weal
and tear, u.an ten wagons or bug
gies. The railroads. suffer, street cal
revenues are cut down hundreds n