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Show K' i I THE AUTOMOBILE AND ',ft DEMOCRACY BBj ' BBJ , ! During tho earlier day of tho mo- BBJj ' tor car, to be seen riding In an auto- j mobile was a s'gn of wealth and lux- H ury. Pooplo of modest means and t Jiumblo social position foil flattorod BBj to bo Invited to rhlo oven a short dls- i tanco In a machine They felt dls- nppolnted if they woro not observed BB by friends. B I-aborors working on tho roads wore BBJj I often seen shaking their lists at pass- BBJj I Ig motorists. Tho machine In tho'r B minds stood as tho representative of LWt n cruel capitalistic system of wealth IB' nd luxury. It was tho proletariat Bj defying tho aristocracy manifested In Bj- tho flesh In their presence It was a BJ symbolic and class act, with no por- B sonal animus back of It. Bj In tho rural dlstr'cts tho feeling B viis ulttor. Ono farmer was known1 B to put a gun In tho back of his wag- j B on on his way to town, openly threat- B cnlng that ho would uso It on tho BBB first motorist ho mot. B Tho nbuses of operation of automo- B biles havo grown worse rather than H better slnco that time. Wherovor BBB there nro cities and largo towns, tho H roads nro crowded with a pushing, B hurrying crowd of drivers. How this BBB -trafllc Is to bo regulated, and common BBB decency enforced on peoplo of raBh BBB temperament, Is one of tho da'ly prob- BBB leniB BBB Mcauwhllo tho recent notablo price' BBB cuts In machines, and othors likely B soon to como, nro bringing tho auto- BBB mnbllo within reach of a now nrm of BBB buyers. Already a moderate priced i BBB Automobile, with good euro, Is cheap-1 BBB or to malntalu than a horse and BBB BBB Tho automobllo Is no longer a badge BBB or exprcss'on of class feeling. Soon BBB tho man of wealth may begin retiring BBB from. a company which is growing too BBB common for his tasto. Tho farmers BBB ore said to own moro of them than !nny ono class. Tho motor crowd In ' exterior aspects' Is far from hearing bsssssj. I) the. markB of distinction. It all looks BBB : plain and common enough, In ono BBB equal democracy of dust. |