Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-05-04
Madison, May 3.

The automobile bill, which sought
to tax motor vehicles and require
them to carry and display great mum
Der cards, got black eye in an official
opinion, rendered by the attorney gen.
eral on request Of the legislature com.
mittee on revision, as follows:
The bill provides that no automobile
upon the highways Of this state I'm.
less the same SHAH have been register,
cd according to the provisions OF this
act. The bill further provides q
method OF making an application to
the secretary Ot state for registration.
and provides that the secretary OF
state upon the payment of two dol.
lar fee shall issue a Iiconsc for the
operation of such automobile.
2. The bill further provides that the
secretary OF state shall deliver TO each
owner an Official number plato, con
tanning In three inch Arabic numerals,
followed by the letter w. the dis
tinguishIng number so assigned TO
such motor vehicle.
3, The bill further provides II
method for regulating aud licensing
manufacturers Of automobiles and the
payment by them OF n license fec OF
Ave dollars therefor.
4. II also provides for regulations
ms TO speed and manner OF operating
such vehicle on streets and highways.
Fan Hna
mont for violation Of the act.
g. 1t provides that the PROVISIONS or
the net shall be uniform throughout
the state, and that no city, village,
county town or legal authorities shall
have power to enforce or maintain
any local registration or requirement
inconsistent with the act
z. The moneys derived from regis
tratlon shall be turned into the state
treasury and be applied TO the eX
pense incurred in carrying out the
provisions OF the act.
Tho use Of auto vehicles on high.
ways IL "A recent invention IN methods
of travelling about aud like other In,
nOvatloaa of the kind II meets with
opposition from some quarters of the
same kind previously manifested
towards steam railroads, bicycles ana
traction engines hut the more serious
opposition and demand for regulation
arises from the fact that serious ac,
cldenls have been caused in various
parts of the country from the care
M
mobiles from the fact that they have
been run nj n high and dangerous rate
OF speed, and further from the tact
that citizens have been unacCustomCn
to their operation ON the highways,
and have become frightened thercat
and their use has resulted in runaways
and other accidents arising from that
cause, | take it that the object of the
the net f. to protect citizens OF the
state from injury to property HE ana
limb that the passage of the act is not
urged as a roycaue measure but as an
exercise of the police power of tho
state to avert injury from it's citizens.
The principal question presented "a
whether this proposed act would be
an infringement of tho constitutional
rights Of n class of citizens, the owners
and operators Of such vel cos. a con.
traVeution OF the provisions Of the
state constitution or OF Article II OF
the constitution of the United states
in respect to denying to persons with,
In the state tho equal protection of the
laws.
"A highway Is a public way for tho
use of the public IN general, for pas,
sage and traffic without distinction"
"rhc restrictions upon It's use are
only such MS are calculated to secure
tO the general public the largest
practicable benefit for the enjoyment
of the easement aud the tncon.
vonierces must he submitted to when
they are only such as are incident to q
reasonable use under impartial regula
tions
Persons making use of horses as
the means OF travel or tra0lc by the
highways have no rights theroir
superior to those who make use OF tn,
ways In other modes"
THE use Of the public streets OF
city Is not n privilege but right
The use OF the public highway 70
vehicles being a right common To al
the people Of the state has tie stat
power to exact license fee for tn
exercise Of such right by part y
the people or impose burdens upon
class Of people SO using It not common
to all?
The police power Of the stat
Is defined as the power of the stat
TO impose a wholesome restraint upo
the exercise OF private rights
BY Blackstone. as the due regulation
and domestic order of the kingdom
hereby the inhabitants Of 4 state Xix
members of we'll governed famil
are bound to conform their genera
behaviour to the rules of property
good neighborhood and good manner
and he decent, industrious and Ii
offensive in their respective stations.
BY Judge Cooley, as follows:
THE police power of state In