Evening journal., 1916-05-30
WnL ITl ME nOrRr Irl

y ECENT automobile accidents in this section should
ANlead to automobss in this city and State running
their cars at lower speeds and exercising greater
care in approaching street and road intersections.
There is no doubt about that We think it will be
admitted by everyone
And yet the question that naturally comes to the
fore after making that declaration "Wil they have
that enect7" We doubt il!
When a man has in front Of him law which pre-
sorbes that he shall restrict his speed to from seven
and one-half TO fifteen miles hour in cities and
towns and from twelve 10 twenty-five miles in the
rural districts and when he has beneath him ma
chine that is capable Of making speed of from forty
to seventyhve miles hour, the temptation to dis
regard the law and TO test the speed of the machine
seems to be almost irresistible.
That is the Of of the accidents that have
reddened the history Of automobfing in this and other
sections of our country They have resulted from
the speed mania Of the rather than from the
mperfeotions of the machines
The news columns of papers have bristled with
the gruesome stories Of the killing and manning Of
automobile riders and pedestrians. The editorial col
OF papers have fired broadside after broad
side into such violators Of speed regulations Laws
have been enacted speed traps have been set thou
sands Of arrests have been made thousands of fines
have been imposed thousands Of graves have been
hled the happiness Of thousands of homes has been
wrecked property valued at hundreds OF thousands of
dollars has been destroyed; and yet this doath-invit-
public thoroughiares often mounting to more than
mile minute.
1t situation that is bad for the public and equally
bad for the automobile trade. II prevents many saney-
disposed persons from buying and operating cars
With the increase in the number Of cars using our
highways and byways; with the number Of licensed
speed -hends multiplying daily. the menace is becom
ing more acute all the time. For every accident that
appears in the newspapers there thousands OF
escapes that the light OF publicity.
Something ought to be done. Something should
have been done long It has been deferred so long
that with many drivers violation Of the law has be-
come confirmed habit even in the face Of the mpo-
stion OF fines But will II be done? We think not
Inc only real cure is to make prison term the in
evitable accompaniment of violation Of our speed
laws because fines are now regarded by those who
are able TO pay them being more or less of a joke
Incident TO auiomobing
me average man who can AFFORD 10 own a ma
epne can ahord to pay fine occasonaliy-because
II Is only occasionally that he is brought IN hoot t
his violation of the speed-mit law E,,t ,,o ayara.
man who can afford to own a machine cannot afford
TO be sent to prison and to out Of il wearing
upon MS reputation, If rot upon his body the strned
naoiments which go with prison term
law that has become joke in the eyes Of those
whose actions was enacted to regulate is worse than
no law What we need in this State is a law that IS
not a joke but a grim reality and that will he on
forced vigorously and mparally against all who vio
late IT,
II the speed-hend menaced only himself there
would be little necessity for a law. The situation
would bring about its own solution Unfortunately
however, it those who are in the car with
him. those who using the same streets and high
ways and those who unable TO protect themselves
against his crazy Of what properly used is an
Invaluable mechanical appliance for the promotion and
expedition of social and business intercourse.
The killings and maimings will go until we have
law which means sometng TO those who dis
posed tc throw safety to the winds and wifuy dis
regard the rights Of their neighbors. That law must
have behind it public sentiment which demands its