The Washington times., 1902-03-02
AUT0MOBILISTS In
CONVENTION At CHICAGO
National Association for Pro-
lection Necessary.
Show Begins Tomorrow and Lasts One
Week in the Windy City-Advocate
Independent Federation of Clubs.

National Association affairs are the
main topic among automobilists. and the
result OF the convention at Chicago tomor-
row and Tuesday is awaited with interest
by everyone says .he Public Ledger
Interested in the sport and trade of pow
er-driven carriages
The formation Of a body such as con-
tempiated Is move of vital Importance
and Its success or failure will have
great bearing for good or evil on the flu
ture of the automobile. Advocates OF the
plan are certain that representative
gathering will attend the convention
Federation of Clubs.
The promoters of the plan advocate an
interdependent federation OF clubs to aid
in the developne nt. introduction, and use
| Of motor vehicles, TAs contemplated
/ premises for organization are. briefly. that
| all regularly constituted and active auto
mobile clubs of acceptable repute be ELI
/ gfble to membership on an equitable basis
Of representation in all deIiberative mat
tiers within the purview of the fedora
ton. This is one of the rocks on which
the old utilization idea was wrecked, for
according to the views offered By the A.
c. A, IL was to be vested with sole power
to make and enforce rules of every de-
scription."
Object of the Meeting.
The Chicago convention will vote to
hold its meeting alternately in the East
and West, with a meeting of the execu-
. i,-a hnJ,
the original call, the practical objects
which it is believed may be attained by
club cooperation are:
Enactment OF liberal laws regulating
the use of automobiles on public high
ways.
Protecting of the legal rights of auto
mobile users
improvements of public highways.
Development and introduction of the
automobile.
Equitable regulation of automobile
racing and trials of endurance and eff
cheney.
A medium for counsel and interchange
of information. ideas and suggestions
tending to the development and advance
ment OF the art.
Plan of Afiliation.
When the Automobile Club OF America
offered its plan OF utilization last fall
there was general opposition. particularly
on the part of the big clubs, and when
the New York organization decided to
abandon the plan, it very properly put
the matter up to the opposing clubs, with
the request that they issue any call that
might be deemed necessary in order to
properly launch national organization
Both sides then showed extreme polite
ness, and wanted to bow to the will of
the other. After much valuable time had
been wasted. it was finally arranged that
call should be sent to the automobile
clubs of the country. signed By the clubs
of New York, Philadelphia, Long Island,
Rhode Island. and Chicago. for a conyen-
tion. to be held at the latter's clubroom5
in Chicago. on March and 4.
There is every ind cation that a ma
tional organization will be successfully
and that it will meet needed
requirement in automobiling. Whether
the clubs will provide for individual
is problematical. However,
the American Motor League meets on
and is expected to prepare a
plan OF energetic action for the coming
year that should bring many new individ-
ual users OF automobiles to its ranks.
New York Auto Laws.
Two bills have been introduced in the
New York Legislature that provide ad-
ditional punishment for those who exceed
the lawful speed limit. The bill of As
semblyman Robinson calls for ten miles
All hour in the cities and twenty miles
IN hour in the country. with a fine for
isolation of not more than 800 or I'M
)risoninent for not more than twenty
lays. The measure introduced by Sen
itor Cocks allows eight miles an hour Ia
he country as the limit, and declares any
'iolation to be a misdemeanor punishable
~ a fine of not more than $500 or an i'm
,risonment for not more than one year.
Want TO Scorch.
The Automobile Club of America con-
iders both measures entirely too drastic.
The members believe that the constGb les
would abuse their power, although they
,dmit it would be possible under the
,enal code 20 obtain an immediate writ
o review any case where there was an
BILE exercising of judicial power.
Primarily, both of these bills are intro
uced for the benefit of Long Islanders
'ho have suffered from the scorchers.
Not TO Scorch.
Many clubs in New York and elsewhere
re in favor of laws that will protect the
wners and drivers as well as the public
sers of highways, and they want to be
BILE to go fast, but do not want TO
corch.
They believe that a new law should be
dopted aboIshing the scorching nuisance
hat to date has been limited to a few
wners of foreign racing automobiles. The
Ulcers agree that any man who does not
lteud to violate the law need have no
ear of any measures that provide a Sc
ere punishment for such violation. They
elieye that fifteen or twenty miles an
our in the open country is quite liberal
nough at this early stage of AUTOMOBILE
lg They do not consider the Automobile
Tub of America in the matter, but are
liking this action simply because they
mink il is for the greatest good for the
reatest number.