New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-02-01
FOR UNIFORM AUTOLAW
HOPE IN THREE STATES.
Commissioners Confer on Bill To Be
Submitted to Legislatures.

The Commissioners on Uniform State Laws Of the
states Of New York, Connecticut and New Jersey
held conference on Saturday afternoon in the law
Office Of Charles Thaddeus Terry, OF The New
York State Commissioners. for the purpose Of TAX
ing final action upon Mr. Terry's draft Of uniform
for these three important motoring states
As soon as the commissioners of this trio OF East
ern coast states can agree IN every particular
uniform automobile law. the act will be presented
their respective legislatures. and after these
legislatures have put it into operation an effort
will be made TO extend IL TO other states. and 1t is
Mr. Terry's belief that It viii be possible eventually
TO place a uniform law upon the books Of every
state in the Union
The undertaking is a stupencous one, and is I'M
portant the users OF motor cars, as well as the
manufacturers OF every clsss Of sef-propelled
vehicles.
The lawyers who participated in the conference
at Mr. Terry's office on Saturday were CharleS
Thaddeus Terry. William H Hotchkiss and FRANCIS
NJ Burdick commissioners from New YORK
Frank Bergen. woodrow Wilson and John R.
Hardin commissioners from New Jersey, and Tai
colt H Russell Walter z. Coe and ErlisS Z.
Arvine, commissioners from Connecticut
II seems likely that the commissioners from
New Jersey Will be able to have inserted IN the
laws of that state visitors clause. which VIII per
nit automobliists driving through to use the roads
without paying the full license fee required from
permanent residents of the state.
This IS quite concession to expect from Jersey,
on top of it's drastic motor laws. as now in force
It has been said that in order to drive a car IN
Jersey one must first become acclimatized. then
take out citizens papers. buy piece OF property
and generally swear allegiance TO the state gov
eminent. The taxpayers of the state have begun
TO realize however, that. while it may be good
thing preserve the excellent roads throughout
their state II has not proved beneficial TO enforce
such laws the books. The commits
sioners at this conference said that they fully be-
neved It would be possible 10 modify the Jersey
Law in many particulars
The bill which Mr.. Terry presented to the COM
nssioners provides for the registration, Identified
ton and regulation Of all motor vehicles operated
upon the public highways. and also provides for
the regulation OF the operators of such vehicles
and for the protection of the general public 1t
may be said. It up briefly that IL gives the
pedestrian a better chance than he has ever had
under any vehicle Law, and 10 at. the same
time preserves all the rights which claimed by
the reasonable and considerate automobilist-
The bill completely eliminates the mileage an
hour feature which has proved Objectionable 10
motorists and unsatisfactory to other users Of
the Dublic highway. II it becomes law there will
be no stop watch testimony and hard and fast
rules through which the guilty careless motor
operator can escape. after he has sometimes
injured another Of the highway
The new law viii also do away with the notorious
Joy riders. and protect the motor car while It is
standing idle and unsuarded In the street public
roadway Through the elimination Of the stop
watch testimony to speeding It will permit
outsider who observes case Of reckless driving
20 60 to court and testify. and his evidence will
have equal weight with that OF the arrestins Of
hcer. Heretofore I, has always been the word OF
a policeman against the word OF citizen. and
oftentines the sworn testimony OF two or three
citizens IN the detained On the other hand. Il
VIII place the reckless driving % motor
the same basis with the reckless driving Of horse
drawn vehicle, and chauffeur may be arrested
and inprisoneE for carelessness and lack OF con-
sideration for other OF the highway. no mat
ter whether he is going five fifty miles hour.
II is universally realized that while il NAV
be possible under the present law 70 proceed at
ten. fifteen twenty miles an hour IN certain
places Il would often be extremely dangerous 70
the public II were driven at the legal OF
speed when the road was crowded with traffic.
If this bill which is now under consideration %
the State Commissioners Uniform Laws, f.
eventually passed. said Mr. Terry VIII provide
immense revenue for each OF the three states
and in New York Il will increase the revenue from
the ~ automobiles about $50 ~ a year Il
VII cost not more than 5000 year to enforce the
law