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Show AUTOS CAUSE OF LAUGHABLE LAWS Volumes Are Added to Lawyers' Libraries Defining Speed and Rights on Roads. FOIL OF GOOD INFORMATION Courts Called Upon to Decide Whether Cars Belonged in Same Category With Vicious Animal Kansas Provision Amusing. Only a few years ago the automobile was not in general use and there were no laws in any of the states governing its use and speed or defining its rights on the highways. Today there are volumes vol-umes in the libraries devoted exclusively exclu-sively to automobile laws. These books are full of valuable information in-formation to the motorist who would like to avoid the law courts, naive illustrations of the applicability of the law, and laughable decisions by courts of many states relative to the status of the automobile. It became necessary for the courts to decide, among other things, whether the automobile belongs in the same category as a vicious bull or dog, or whether it is a dangerous agency and to be clased with explosives, inflammable inflamma-ble substances, and firearms. To the great relief of all automobile owners, the courts have decided both of these questions in the negative. A Kansas Laugh. "The legislation in the United States concerning motoring is not all of a serious character," says the preface to "Huddy on Automobiles." "The various vari-ous statutory provisions are exceedingly exceed-ingly interesting from any point of view. Some of the provisions are really real-ly amusing. Thus, the legislature of Kansas has shown its kindly feeling toward motoring by actually incorporating incorpo-rating into its legislation a provision regulating the operation of automobiles automo-biles which is worth twice reading. It follows : "Nothing in this section shall be construed as in any way preventing, obstructing, impeding, embarrassing or in any other manner or form infringing infring-ing upon the prerogative of any political polit-ical chauffeur to run an automobilious band wagon at any rate he sees fit, comparable with the safety of the occupants oc-cupants thereof; provided, however, that not less than ten nor more than twenty ropes be allowed at all times to trail behind this vehicle when in motion, in order to permit those who have been so fortunate as to escape with their political lives an opportunity oppor-tunity to be dragged to death ; and provided, further, that whenever a mangled and bleeding political corpse implores for mercy the driver of the vehicle shall, in accordance with the provisions of this bill, "throw out the lifeline." (See Kansas laws of 1903, chapter 67, page 118)." Kansas is, no doubt, on the right road. Not Dangerous Per Se. In his preface to the second edition of his work Huddy says : "Two striking and important principles prin-ciples of law concerning the motor vehicle have been established since the first edition appeared. "The first and most important is that the automobile is not an agency dangerous per se and to be classed with combustibles, explosives, inflammable inflam-mable substances, firearms, vicious animals and the like. All the courts of highest resort before which this question has arisen have been harmonious har-monious In their decisions supporting this view." |