The star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1908-1909, 1908-02-07
FORT WOULD TAX
VEHICLES FOR
n. ROAD REPAIRS
Also FavOrs Licensing of Out
side Motorists Who Visit
New Jersey.
REPLIES TO CRITIC WHO
RAPED STATE AUTO LAW
Governor and Franklin Murphy
Guests at New Jersey Mo-
tor Club Banquet.

az cannot see the slightest reason
why outside mott rists who use thc
New Jersey roads almost. If not quite
as much in the summer months M
residents of this state, should not rs
required To pay same license fec for
the wear and tenr they cause on the
roads"
This statement was made by Gov
ernor John Franklin Fort, who was q
guest at the dinner OF the the New
Jersey Automobile and Motor Club last
night in Achtel- Stetter's.
The declaration follow ed a speech by
William II. Hotchkiss, r resident of the
American Automobile AS ISOLATION, who,
with Governor Fort AMI former Gov
ernor Franklin Murphy, were guests OF
the club. Mr.. Hotchlias had not been
backward in criticisng New Jersey in
regard to automobile Laws and their en-
fprcemcnt. He annouia ed himself in
favor of a law giving more latitude
than the present measure. One of the
provisions he advocated was that an
outside inotorist arrested for an alleged
violation in New Jersey should have
the right to be tried before a jury in
his own State.
Governor Fort had a'rcady spoken,
but after Mr.. Hotchkiss@s talk he de
clared tina he could not remain silent
lest 1t be thought that he concurred in
the opinions expressed.
Speaking of the judges remarks re-
garding the place of trial for alleged
violations the Governor said:
my friend. the judge. in claiming for
foreign motorists the right to be tried
in their OWE States for crimes alleged
to be committed here, has overlooked
the fact hal the injured party Is al
ways Il resilient Of this State, and
therefore his right to be heard before
a jury of his neighbors is higher than
that of h non-reeident motorist.
Therefore / must say that 1 aid in
favor of this principal of the law, for
it guarantees simple justice to the in
jured party
The Governors earlier speech met
with the approval of the motorists
present, especially that part dealing
with the necessity for a law requiring
lights on all vehicles. Another point
which brought forth cheers was his
statement that in his opinion a few
years would sec the levying of a tax
on all tires, all vehicles included, thus
bringing the burden of road taxation
uron the real users.
"The farmer now pays in taxes for
read repairs more than such a Ia
should amount to-" said the Governor.
brBy a universal tax of this sort the
cost of the maintenance and building
bof roads would be placed upon the
actual users Of the highways. The
roads are not used by pedestrians, and
the fairest way to assess the cost of
their repair is by taxing those directly
Interested"
SO Charles Thaddeus Terry. chairman of
uthe legislative board of the American
Association. and j.. B.. r. Smith, Com
missioner of Motor Vehicles, spoke
briefly.
Some of the other guests were Angus
Sinclair. DR.. James M. Ludlow, c.
Thaddeus Terry, ]. b. r. Smith, w.
P. Martin, Frederick Gilkyson, Will
lam Cardwell, A. G. Bachelor, Frank
b.. Hover. l.. r. Speare. Stanford l.
Haynes, Frederick L. Peabody, Will
lam A. Rolfe, Il. H., Elliott, secretary
A. a. A.; w. r. Roberts, H. Stacy
Smith, DIR. j. H. Wander Roest. j. b.
Woolston. James NJ. Reilly. Joseph II.
Wood. III. A. Bonnell, DR.. James r.
English, F. A. Croselmire. Paul e. Hell
Ter, w. e. Kimber. c. A. Westervelt,
Dewitt c. Reynolds, James Kennedy,
Harry Kenney, DR.. J. f. Hagerty, w.
A.. Baker, e. Balbach, jr.