In February 1907, a small newspaper in Harrisburg, Pa., demanded an “aroused public opinion” about the reckless way in which Americans were now living their lives. The paper condemned people who amused themselves “in a way that endangers the bodies and the very existence of their fellow citizens,” criticizing those who run railroad trains, electric trolleys, and automobiles at a speed “that implies an outrageous spirit of recklessness.”
The paper’s antidote for such carelessness? It suggested a “national conversation” to inspire a “counter-movement” in favor of safety.
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