The Jersey City news., 1906-02-05

WILL FIGHT NEW
AUTOMOBILE BILL
Restrictions Of reliaghuysen
Measure In New Jersey
Legislature Raises the Ire
of Thousands
COST TO THE STATE
WILBUR F. sADLER SAYS PRES
ENr LAW is STRINGENT
ENOUGH IF PROVISIONS WERE
ONLY ENFORCED.

Especial to THE Jersey CITY News.D
TRENTON, Feb 5, 1906. -0ne Of the
most bitter Of automobile fights will be-
gin here within the next few days as the
result of thes automobile bill introduced
IN the Legislature here last week by Sena-
tor Joseph Frelinghuysen, of Somerst
County. The radical restrictions pro-
lvided by the measure have aroused the
ire of the automobiles of this and other
States, and preparations are already
under way for a campaign of education
that Is expected to bring about the de-
feat Of the Objectionable measure. The
lenactmeut of such a law. the automo-
.bilsts claim, would drive them from the
State and also ruin a business that is
iworsh almost $5o,Oee, 600 TO the COM
manwealth.
Discussing the Frelinghuysen bill this
morning, Wilbur F.~Sadler, of this city,
ehairndan Of the Law Committee of the
Associated Automobile Clubs of New
psasey. saia:-
.The bill introduced last week is most
insQuitsus measure. unfair alike to auto
mohaists and the public in general We
object to It most strenuously. and we
sshaH use every legitimate means to de-
feat it. We shall begin ar once cam
paign of education that will extend to
all.parts Of the State and doubtless raise
q protest from ONE end of the country
to- the other.
I'VE ebsect to the proposed law be-
cause the present law is stringent enough
Ito remedy all existing evils. The law
new In force is compromise measure
prepared by q cornmittee consisting of
three automabAists and three farmers.
pit was made sasisfastory to both sides.
Under its provisions IN automoblist may
run his machine at a speed that will save
time and give pleasure and yet at the
same time, under an accepted ruling by
Judge Swayze, he is held responsible for
iaH damage he may do. The present law
try, SO stringent in fact that no one pre-
tends to enforce it. In Camden County
some time ago hagrant violation of the
jspeed law was reported in the newspa-
Ipers. The Automobile Club offered to
pay adj costs of prosecution if some resi-
sdsnt would make formal complaint. No
lone volunteered, although the offer was
lgivsn wide publicity.
"TAe Frelinghuysen bill will prach-
fcaIly drive six Thousand autemebilists
from the Stare, with machines valued at
s12. zoe, 900; will put 81 ,o00, 900 in man
sutacturing out of business, and close to
$40, ,00o,o0o worth of garages, not to men
stion the thousands of dollars spent by au-
stcmohilistz 1rem other States who travel
swithin eur borders to seashore resorts
land other places Of interest. The pro-
vision that requires short dme tourists
ito pay 81 per day in New Jersey would
ldoubfiess lead to retaliating measures in
other States"
sfWe object to the clause barring
lchains from machines, as without them
lit would be impossible to run in wet
lweather or after a shower. We object
to the arrest without warrants and the
revocation Of -heensessby county authori-
tiles That places too much power in the
hands of men who have no sympathy
with automobiles and often little or no
knowledge of automobiling
:. I'VE would not object to be examined
and licensed. Neither would we object
to increased fees il the money so de-
rived is to be expended by the State in
road improvement. We object to the
clause which provides for the appoint
nant Of an automobile commissioner at
q salary Of $1,000 per year. We want
the license fees to go toward improving
the roads, not for the purpose of paying
an autocrat to rule over us.
THE trouble in a nutshell is that the
present law is not enforced. Enforce it
and there viii be no need for any addi-
tional legislation. We shall ask for a
hearing on the Frelinghuysen bill at an
sarly date, and several thousand automo-
against the measure"
ThiIdrara Taa4hinr