Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1925-10-28
Ed ORIAL S

| IVA pms LJsAl ClooONltAAlO'l WHICH II
said:
"Carelessness is a universal, I'M
/ ending and constant quantity with
/ ever human being. Some people
are more frequently negligent than
others, but negligence is, neverthe-
less, a characteristic of and a GER
tainty, at some time or other for
everybody When, therefore, ty
careIessness you are hurt, or your
automobile is injured, and another
person guilty of that careiessness
becomes indebted to you for the
damage done. you have against him
a cause of action. and only that.
He is your debtor. If, by law, he
is compelled to carry insurance,
you are receiving from the govern
n.ent direct statutory aid in 1he
collection of your debt. Is that
your theory of government? In
comparatively few of the other af-
fairs of your life do vou ask or
suffer governmental AID.
Il have never yet heard it sug-
gested TINT every citizen who
might contract smallpox or inf!u-
enza or cold, diphtheria or Scar
let fever, or the thousand and one
other ailments which are infectious,
should give a bond or insure him
8 L.
that disease to others he will pay
the damages. | find no difference
in principle. The communication
of any disease is the result of
carelessness.
why should not parents be re-
CURED to give bonds or an insur-
ance policy to the children who
shall be born, guaranteeing to
them a reasonable opportunity for
education, health, recreation, com
fort and preparation for life? The
children are not even consulted
with reference to their being
brought into the world. They
are wholly innocent parties. The
driver on the highway at least
goes there voluntarily and is injur-
ed by the negligence of others. If
you, the driver of an automobile,
are protected from the damage
done by the carelessness of others,
Heaven knows that children, who
have no choice in the matter, are
entitled to protection against I'M
happiness and lack of opportunity.
You unfortunately, are obliged
to consult physicians and attor-
neys frequently during the year.
They have been known to be care
less. Why not say that every
physician and attorney should give
insurance against negligence in the
conduct of the business of their
patients and clients
1T seems to me that the subject
needs no further consideration. 1t
is hard for me to understand how
there could have been even any
suggestion that such statute be
placed on the books. To me it is
the utmost absurdity; to me the
proposers show woeful lack of
knowledge of the ordinary affairs
of life and the ordinary ways in
which government works, and the
ordinary rules of conduct of men
IN their relationships with each 9TH
err"
1t seems to US that thu
gravest objection of compulsory
automobile insurance would b,
that it would invite carelessness
recklessness and a greater disre
gard for the life and property o
others. The driver now know
he must make restitution unde
the law; that if injured, the victim
may take the matter to tn
courts; and that both criminal anc
civil cases are likely to follow.
Under a compulsory liabilit,
law, would the careless driver us
less caution? 1t seems REASONABLE
to suppose that he wouldn't us
less caution? 1t seems reason
able to suppose that he would.
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