Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1906-12-28
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1906
AUTOMOBILE LAW.

In THE REGISTER of last week it was
stated that certain amendments offered
to the automobile bill, which. upon their
face, except in regard to speed limits,
appeared to be desirable, provided auto
mobiles were to be admitted upon the
highways, were opposed by the member
from Middlebury, but the suggestion
made that there might be some explain
alton which did not appear
1t was very difficult for any person
outside of the Capitol, during the last
days of the session, to get any accurate
knowledge of what was being done by
the Legislature. This was especially
true in regard to the automobile legisla
ton. Our Representative called upon us
after his return, and explained the condi-
tions in which the automobile bill was re-
ported to the House, at the very last part
of the session, by the General Committee.
1t appears that the bill itself, although
not asserting the principle of right of
towns to make such regulations as they
deem necessary for the safety of their
citizens and others who use the high
ways, was in the main an effective law
for the regulation of automobiles upon
the highways, and therefore was sup
ported as the best that offered by those
striving to secure stringent regulations.
1t seems, too, that the parties introduce
ing amendments, increasing penalties,
and therefore in this respect sound, had
other amendments to offer, which would
have made the bill very much less desir-
able, and therefore, and because these
amendments increased the speed limits,
they We're opposed by Mr.. Cady and
majority of the House 1t appears,
too, that the bill as finally passed by the
House and sent to the Senate, was in the
main an unusually drastic measure.
The action of the Senate upon this
bill was to strike out all after the enact
ing clause, by a vote of fourteen to nine,
both of the Addison County Senators
voting with the minority; that is, in
favor of stringent legislation. We We're
very happy to see, too, that our friend
Senator johnson, of the Randolph Her.
aid, did the same. The bill then went
before a conference committee, which
wrangled over it for a number of hours.
finally recommending a compromise
measure, quite an improvement in some
respects upon previous laws of regula-
ton, whether in Vermont or elsewhere,
SO far as we know; but not fully recog-
nizing the fundamental right of towns
TO regulate their own highways; and
therefore not at all relieving the people
of the State from an intolerable condi-
ton, into which they have been thrown,
by an unexpected assault upon their
Rights of safety and comfort, which the
first clause of our Constitution ensures.
The contest between the people and
those who are willing to disregard and
trample under foot their rights, has Just
begun. 1t might have been practically
finished this year had proper care been
taken in the different counties in the Sc
lection of Senators. The lesson is that
such attention must be taken in every
county in the State in the election of
the next Senate. Not a single man
should be permitted to be elected, who
does not stand with the people upon this
question; and fortunately all our best and
ablest men do so stand And, at the