The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-06-10
A Severe Law for Auto Men.

The autom obile law passed by the Gen
eral Assembly of Maryland during its
last session, known as chapter 51S of the
| acts of the January session of 1904, has
caused much adverse criticism and dis
gust among the automobilists of the state,
especially 4 Baltimore, where motorists
are most numerous, says the Automobile
Examination of certified copy of the
acts develops the fact that it is based
upon the automobile law Of New Jersey
pas 81 last err, and is, in fact, a We: batim
copy with number of excisions, some
additions and certain changes that make
the Maryland law much more drastic than
the other. Most important among these
changes are the reduction of speed lin.
it's the increase of the penalties and the
inclusion of all animals domestic not
specifed), together with horses, in a
clause requiring that 1.-THE person in
charge of said moto vehicle, at the signal
or request of any person riding horse
or any person leading or driving horse
or horses. or other animals, or at the in
dication of such horse or horses or other
animals becoming alarmed by said motor
| vehicle, shall go as far as practicable tc
the side of the road and remain station
airy until the said horse or horses or other
animals have passed to a safe distance
in the meantime making as little noise as
possible with the steam"
Where the New Jersey law permits a
speed of one mile in six minutes 90 miles
an hour) rounding sharp curves and at
the intersection of prominent crossroads
where such road passes through the open
country" the Maryland law provides
maximum of one mile in 10 minutes (six
miles an hour) In the 'built up portions
of city, town or village, which, in the
New Jersey act is specified as "where the
houses are an average of less than 100
feet apart" (but which clause is purposely
omitted from the Maryland law, speed
maximum of one mile in 10 minutes is fix
ed by the granger Legislators of the South
ern law builders of the sweet potato and
mosquito commonwealth allowed a speed
f one mile in seven minutes eight and
one half miles an hOur).
The most Objectionable speed limita-
ton, however, is that in the Maryland
law prohibiting speed in excess of one
mile in six minutes (ten miles an hour
"elsewhere'-that is, anywhere in the
state where lower rate is not prescribed,
More than this, the legislators have in
serted clause that is not contained in
the New Jersey law providing that in
meeting or passing a person driving or
leading horse or horses or other animals
such speed shall be reduced to mile in
ten minutes" (six miles an hour).
The penalties fixed for failure to COM
ply with the registration section of the
Maryland law, or the carrying of icti-
tious number, is $50 instead of 500, but
most of the other penalties are higher
than in New Jersey. That for racing on
the roads or driving car on wager is
raised to 80 days Imprisonment instea d
of 20 days; the fine for failure to comply
with the section requiring the displaying
of the license number on the vehicle in the
particular way prescribed is raised from
SIS to $50; for exceeding the ten mile
speed limit in open country, from $40 in
Jersey to $50 in Maryland; for failing to
turn out as far as practicable and remain
stationary upon signal or request from
persons riding, leading or driving any an
mal the penalty is $50 or 80 days in Jail,
or both, in the discretion of the magis-
trate or court. In Jersey the fine is $40
and Imprisonment for 10 days.
Punishment for conviction of a second
violation of the provision of the act is
double the penalty of the first offense or
Imprisonment in Jail for not more than
three months.
One section of the New Jersey law that
is left out the Maryland act stipulates
that no owner of motorcar who has OBJ
tanned license from the secretary of
state shall be required to obtain any 9TH
er license or permit, nor be prohibited
from or limited in the free use thereof,
nor limited as to speed except as provid-
ed in the law. Other omissions pertain
to serving warrants, making arrests, fur
nishing bail, permission to appeal from
judgments, and the procedure in such
case.