New-York tribune., 1909-01-10
JERSEY AUTO REPORT
'URB PEACE OFFICERS.
Plea Made for More Uniformity IN
Legislation.


ue New Jersey Department of Motor Vehicles.
makes some radical recommendations in his annual
report to the Governor, chief of which is the sug
geston thai the larger offences against the state
automobile law be made misdemeanors, which Mr..
smith believes. would save motorists much of the
annoyance they now likely to experience,
Under the present form OF the law summary pro-
ceed1ngs may be taken by justices of the peace,
but, If such offences were misdeaeanors unscrupu-
ious justices of the peace would have no incentive
to annoy innocent motorists, while aw-breaking
motorists would be amenabe the law.
IN discussing this suggestion the report says:
Perhaps no feature of our law has been pro-
ductive of more abuses than that very necessary
Of any violator This feature was made necessary
because of the ability OF the violator of the motor
vehicle to escape arrest n;ia punishment Unless
almost impossible to apprehend This power how
ever. placed in the hands of INSCRIPTIONS peace
tunity to annoy and embarrass abiding motor
ity of magistrates have done Their dufy faithfully
an amd . well and desire @ mere not only to express to
and regard but to again pledge the department. to
sistance in their very laudable and efficient efforts
There have been. however. very few conspcu-
pension Of sentence for having retained fines Evi-
dence against certain other officers Will be placed
H before the grand I'd Jury Of the respective counties
difficult task: motorists p-eferring suffer indig
time necessary to prosecute The offenders
have PT4posed plan which @ with possibly GER
removing the abuses connected with this part Of
are made nisd there will be no incentive
peace to dc more than their duty Those VI whose ee
activities are now properly confined will have a
who exceed their moral authority viii Under sGcS
an arrangement. find no incentive for such excess.
Mr.. Smith upholds the New Jersey law and saws
that the state is sensible Of the obligations of
terstate comfy. The law. he says, while not per-
feet, IS not unfair. He points that more than
one half of the automobiles registered IN New Jer-
sey owned outside of the state and lays stress
the fact that II out-of-state motorists be
relieved Of the necessity of helping maintain the
states roads additional tax burden must be
placed it's residents. He also refers to the pro-
posed boycott of New Jersey manufacturers com
pei q modification of the law.
The Commissioner in the report, makes a plea
uniformity in automobile legislation, and sug-
gests g conference OF representative persons from
different states, with view of adopting uniform
laws in each state Discussing the question of
Interstate comfy regarding automobile legislation
the report says
There are under consideration four methods Of
dealing with this subject. First, 70 refrain from
recognizing foreign registration. is done by New
Jersey, Pennsylvania and some other states; sec
is done by New York; third to recognize foreign
ffeen days i as is the Prevailing practice in New
England fourth. to issue for nominal considera-
practical difficulties in the way Of enforcing the
a @ fnS o. on he foresn Pan " 10
The fourth plan has been suggested to the last
@ 81 rootnrets tbennseIves renresente
ives tive Of automobe Organizations insisting that
they cannot the courtesy without cost they
dent motorists feel and freely charge that our fail
ure to reciprocate what they regard as their cour.
our own or anv other state; while New Jersey
rn counties and who have occasion to enjoy the
nberalty of the New York and the New England
holding these views in the main sincere. From
their Viewpoint their position seems correct They
legislation
est freedom compatible with good government TSnf
viewpoint does enable them to see all SIDES of
Believe it can be clearly demonstrated that not
withstanding the expense and trouble incurred by
e of New IN Jersey oeT to visit
Ing motorists MANIFOLD more Inducements man man
teses, offered to Jerseymsn So far from being d
criticized this account, New Jersey merits COM
mendation-
Touching thu boycott on New Jersey manu-
facturers the report says:
Unfortunately for causes which seem mgoSsble ia1po @
eDain bas 6een paugTated
bv representative motorists of other states to cast
5fGf 5seafv because of our method Of vehicle
Tegation The more raGad haEe oTco agns
out tradesnlen and pleasure resorts as means %
ally injured the trade Of our large manufacturers'
incidents of which are IN possession OF the GgpaT m
desired effect, and Ion the best Of authority l am
sspproVal Of thoughtfu' and sincere friends of in
f5lre+ste connity Our registration laws can with
finue to address their best thought to so shaping ,
them that they may weigh sum neavler iI tlS eo1 500
fe fec{ions fcGs'e99 -
In discussing the general problem OF automobile
regulation MI Smith says that the public Is rapidly
1asrnine To take rational view of both the uses
and abuses of the automobile, He holds that the
contending forces, formerly antagonistic to each
other are becoming more tolerant and that all are
realizing that big and intricate problem has been
-,5derlv thrust upon them whose solution can only
he ACCOMPLISHED by patient study investigation and
experience
The rerort shows that during the calendar year
ended December 81 the department paid TO the
state Treasurer s-791s3. This included s28.o6l re-
ceved from the issuing Of Il 94S registrations SoS'5o
received from q 545 licenses and s9z5 "a from fines
From all Of this was deducted fees paid to
agents s9549 81 Attention is called TO the fact that
the law requires the report to be made for the cal
endar year instead Of the states fiscal year, Whlch
ends on October 81. In consequence the nnnanclal
statement of the department is at variance with
that Of the State Treasurer which covers the fiscal
instead OF the calendar year.
The new schedule of fees, under the amendment
to the law Of 1905 effect April 1s, so that
the receipts the fiscal year were comprised OF
sly months and half of receipts at the schedule
under the new law and five months and haif at
.he schedule under the ole law, Under the new ia"
all registrations expire December 81 so that the
receinfs for the month OF December, aggregating
.o- oes bacarse of the renewals of registration in
or+tcinaton Of the present year should in the opn-
ION of Mr Smith. be regarded as part or the re-
ce,nte for both the calendar and the fiscal year or
1909
FOOTBALL MEN OUT OF HOSPITAL.
rF3v Telegraph to The Tribune]
Naup Haven Jan. 9-Three Yale varsity foot
faFt fha