New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-21
AUTO BILL OPPOSED.
JERSEY ACT HIT HARD.
Measure, Supported by Farmers,
Condemned by Clubs.

Trenton. Feb 20 (SpeciaD-There was a tre-
| mendous crowd in the Assembly Chamber this
afternoon to hear the arguments for and against
the Frelinghuysen and Jackson automobile bills
For several hours automobiles from all parts Of
the State came to the city and lined up in front
of the State House. 1t the automobiIists
day. The owners of machines monopoIized the
corridors and galleries and swarmed into the
Assembly until there was scarcely breathing
space There were a good many women who
came along and were made conspicuous by their
big blue and gold badges.
The hearing was before the Judiciary Commit
tee of the Senate. consisting of Senator's. Hill
lery, Wakelee and Mnturn. The opponents of
the bill were first heard. Ex-senator Reed Of
Plainfield appeared for the PIainfeld Autorno-
bile Club. He recognized that there we're reck-
less automobilists but he did not think the pro-
portion was any greater than I'm the. case of
reckless drivers or horses He stated in brief
the objections TO the bills. especially to speed
limits and arrest without warrant He thought
the present law was sufficient. if it was en-
forced. but admitted it hard to enforce 1t.
He thought the revoking OF the license. when
the law was violated. would be of great advan-
tage He told how the bicyclists were once
driven off the road by teams. Yet nobody said
anything against bicyclists now He said the
automobile had come to stay He did not be-
Heve it was constitutional TO tax the driver of
a machine and not tax the driver of a wagon
full of cracked stone with heavy tires. when one
tears up the road as much as the other
W. H. Speer representing the Hudson County
Club, said the automobile was q means of trans
portation that would last. 1t was computed
that S5OOoOOOO invested in automobiles
and the business in New-Jersey. That capital
should be safeguarded by the legislature He
said the trolley car went fast as the auto
mobile. yet no Senator wanted to make the
motormen pass an examination.
The complaint In Hudson County interrupt
ed Senator Frelinghuysen. rs that trolley car
takes an hour to go two blocks"
There were hogs automobiles But they
were the exception. and that was the reason
they were noticed. He thought the Justice of
the peace ought 10 be abolished. The Justice he
said, would make the law. If this bill passed. too
drastic. The present system was drastic enough
and he did not believe the Frelinghuysen bill
would stand the test of the courts It discrfm-
mated unjustly.
sCARRITT OPPOSES BILL
7 Winthrop z. Scarritt first president OF the
Automobile Club of America said this bill
marked crisis in automobile legislation 1t was
a fight TO the finish. he said He thought the
purpose of the bill was to discourage the ma
chine and drive 1T off the highway. 1t was a
strange admtxture of the good with some things
that were damnable He told how exempt driv-
ers Of horses were from fine or registration
Judge Conley. of Michigan had declared that
drivers of horses had rights superior TO those
of automobilists on the public highway. There
is rank injustice In the measure" said Mr. Scar
rift ITO try to enforce law like the one
proposed would make $4,000 lawbreakers at
eff is To ind,
drivers to comply with the existing law"
Charles T. Terry. representing the National
Association OF Automobile Manufacturers made
some flattering remarks about New-Jersey and
its good roads, and then urged that the present
law. which a compromise, was enough TO
have the statute books. If as much effort
made TO have the police do their duty as
there was TO concoct new laws the whole prob
lem could be settled quickly, he thought.
Adrian Riker of the New Jersey Automobile
Club said the five hundred citizens whom he
represented were not criminals. Because they
went the highway did noe make them law
breakers he said. He declared his life and that
OF his family down by the seashore had been
more imperilled by horses and drivers than by
automobiles and their drivers. He pointed out
that in proportion there were more accidents
from horses last year than from automobiles
Hostility TO the automobile seemed TO him to be
the main motive Of the Frelnghuysen bill
r. G. Vance spoke for the motor cyclists He
said the proposed bill was worse for them than
for Automobiles. They ground between
the horse and the auto. He hoped the provisions
against motor cycles would be taken out of the
bill
President Case of the Anti-Automobie Society
practically repeated the arguments he advanced
at the hearing. He woke up the audience and
disclosed the fact that the advocates of the bill
in the galleries were about as numerous as the
opponents.
Mr.. Kip. of the Civic Association OF Norris |
town, presented a copy of resolutions adopted
by the association requesting the legislature 10
pass a law like that of Frelinghuysen's He
read strong letter from Vice-ChanCellOr Fred |
eric w. Stevens favoring the bill on the ground
that the present situation was dangerous TO lie
and property and should be remedied-
John j. Murray. of Hudson, repeated his rea-
of two weeks ago In favor of the Freling-
huysen bill. He said there were only two kinds
of pedestrians IN the view of the automObilist-
the Quick and the dead. He charged that the |
demonstration against the bill came mostly |
from residents Of other States who wanted 10
tear up the splendid roads without restriction |
He said I'm a letter sent out by the State Auto
mobile Association IL stated that 1t took |
"Tnen and money 70 conduct this great fight"