New-York tribune., 1908-03-17
THE AUTOMOBILE SPLIT.
NOT QUESTION OF DUES.
President of State Association ET-
DIains Reasons for IctiOn.

Oliver A. Ouayle president of the New York State
Automobile Association. issued a statement yester-
day concerning the resignation of the Automo"ie
Club OF America from the state association III
which he saws that he cannot reconcile himself to
the belief that the action due to a question OF
$500 $500 dues. Mr. Quaye's statement follows:
''The constitution of the New York State Auto
mobile Association provides, relative to the matter
of dues, that dues shall be paid bi-annualiy at the
rate of 81 a club member except that when cuo
shall have membership in excess OF nve nun
dred then dues shall be paid upon such
excess membership. The total club membership
the state association at this time Is approx
mately six thousand. OF this number seven nun
dred and thirty-seven members of the Autofnoplle
Club of America have not paid dues the Automo-
bile Club ofAmerica paying no dues upon Its mem
bership in of five hundred. Seven hundred
and twenty members of the Automobile Club OF
Buffalo have paid no dues, the Automobile club OF
Buffalo paying dues upon its membership IN
excess of five hundred
The Automobile Club of Buffalo recognized the
apparent injustice of such provision and offered
an amendment to the constitution which would re-
qu1re all clubs to pay the same dues As the num-
Der of clubs in the state association is increasing,
and the membership in these clubs is likewise
rapidly increasing, it has been necessary for me
to explain upon many occasions why club OF
four hundred members was required TO pay SWo
a year when a club of twelve hundred members
required 10 pay only $500 year
This proposed amendment to the state ccnstitu-
The association has need for funds at this time;
its income being entirely sufficient 1t is merely
intended to make more equitable the present pro-
visions of the constitution relative to dues oy
requiring its 15c0 non-paying members OBJ OF which
represented by the non-paying membership OF
the Automobile Club of America and 'Zo oy 'he
non paying membership of the Automobie 'lun oi
Buffalo, to pay dues, and reducing the dues from
81 to 10 cents for all clubs The income OF 20 cehts
a member on the associations full membership
would produce a revenue equal to the dues OF 81
a member it's present dues paying membership
leaving the associations annual income practicaly
Identical and yet reduce the cues OF CLUB members
% per cent.
.The state association while mindful of the in
huence and prestige of its largest clubs, must give
due regard to the small ones. The club dues in
every automobile club in the State of New YORK
at this time with two exceptons) are s. a year
member Clubs are paying the state assocla-
ton 81 a year a member one-ffth of their reve-
nue. If, therefore, their dues in the state assocla-
ton could be reduced to 10 cents they would De
relieved of considerable burden.
Therefore | cannot reconcile myself TO the be-
lief that the resignation of the Automobile Club
of America is precpltate1 over matter of $500 or
500. Again. my personal acquaintance with many
of the members of the Automobile Club of America
is such that | know that an item of 500 or sioo
could not occasion difference of opinion. on the
other hand 1 am inclined to think that the real
differences are over matter of legislation and L
NAV desire TO make a further statement in connec-
ton with the legislative situation after the con-
venng of the Legislature on Monday next
President w. II. HotchkisS Of the American Auto
mobile Association announced yesterday that the
differences betweentthe Automobile Club of Amer
lea and the American Automobile Association and
the Withdrawal tie club from the national body
will not in any way affect the positions of William
X Vanderbilt jr and jefferson de Mont Thomp-
son on the racing board OF the American Auto
mobile Association and on the Vanderbilt Cup COM
mission Both men will retain their official posts
In the American Automobile Association by virtue
of their individual memberships. This President
Hotchkiss announces is on the authority OF Messrs
Vanderbilt and Thompson Themselves.