AN OBJECT LESSON IN SOCIAL REFORM. 309 



the city and country ? If the view taken of Mr. Spencer's social 

 philosophy by the journal mentioned had been correct, these two 

 questions would have to be answered in the negative. Nothing 

 would have remained for the bicyclists to do but to get along as 

 best they could with the bad roads and shoestring paths that 

 fringe them. 



Happily, however, the view in question was incorrect. Mr. 

 Spencer's social philosophy enjoins the importance of taking 

 advantage of every improvement, whatever it be, that will pro- 

 mote human welfare. That bicycle paths are an improvement 

 of this kind needs no argument. As already intimated, they 

 facilitate communication ; they encourage people that live in the 

 city to visit the country, acquaint themselves with its charms, 

 and take the exercise that the preservation of health requires. 

 But Mr. Spencer's social philosophy teaches that the improve- 

 ment shall be undertaken voluntarily by those alone that desire 

 it. Not only shall they undertake it themselves, but they shall 

 seek to persuade others to join with them. What Mr. Spencer's 

 philosophy forbids is that they shall ever resort to the argument 

 of coercion to secure the aid of others. 



Hardly had the bill been defeated before its opponents began 

 work in accordance with this salutary principle of social reform. 

 Through their efforts there sprang into existence, as in physical 

 evolution, the social organs required to meet the new social 

 wants. Voluntary associations were formed in different parts of 

 the city to collect money from those that wished to give, and use 

 it in the construction of paths. But the first step was not encour- 

 aging; it was decidedly discouraging. The meeting called to 

 form the first Side-path Association was not attended by more 

 than six or eight persons. But they were interested in the cause, 

 and they were determined to do what they could to further it. 

 They organized, elected a president, a vice president, a secretary, 

 and a treasurer, collected a small sum from those present, and 

 decided to go to work at once. The discussion that took place 

 disclosed the conviction that it was inadvisable to wait until 

 a larger fund had been collected. A previous experience was 

 a warning against it. A bicycle organization in the city had 

 collected six hundred dollars for paths, but, instead of beginning 

 work at once with this sum, it waited to raise more money, and 

 while waiting the money already in hand went for other pur- 

 poses. Another reason for immediate action was the belief that 

 as soon as bicyclists saw that the new association " meant busi- 

 ness " they would contribute. Each foot of path constructed 

 would be convincing evidence of the sincerity and enterprise of 

 the association and of the value of the work undertaken. It was 

 not long before money enough came in for a mile of path. Soon, 



