New-York tribune., 1909-05-28
TILE AErOnORILE VETO.

THE Al IOHODlLE , III ~
The regret which will be felt at the Gov
ernor's veto of the automobile bill will by no
means be confined to reckless ''scOrchers, Dut
will be shared by many who in their use Oh
motor cars endeavor TO obey the law anu
scrunulouslv to regard the convenience ana
safety of all other persons on the highways
There is a not unreasonable feeling that the eA-
istng law is in some respects too resulcCEe
and that a greater latitude of discretion Ill
speed, for example might properly be grahleu
to competent drivers. Moreover, there Is general
agreement that the Governor hlmseh says
there were good provisions in the bill which 1t
vouId be well to have enacted into law Never
theless we are convinced that the great ma
iority of thoughtful men, on reading the Gov
nrnor's careful and detailed criticism, will be
ners1Iaded that the defects of the measure were
so great as to compel a veto for the puDhc
good.
Anv of several faults which the Governor ex-
noses would in fact be sufficient 10 condemn
the bill One for example, is that which was
mentioned by the Mayor in his protest against
the neasure-namely. that 1t would take away
from the authorities of this city, in which dwell
half Of the people of the state. that reason
able mower 70 control street traffic without
which conditions in the metropolis would be
come intolerable That it would do so seems
evident from the text which forbldS local au-
thOritieS TO pass. enforce, or MAINTAIN any
ordinance rule or regula ion excluding any
.owner or chauffeur from the free use OF puDhc
highways or in any other lay RESTRICTING
motor vehicles or their speed upon or use OF
"the public highways" Those who realize the
avten+ IN which the operation of automobiles
on the streets of this city under the present law
has made pedestrian and indeed, other vehicu-
lar traffic far less comfortable and safe thah
II vas before will readily concede that law
which would encourage still further license III
the running of motor cars would he contrary TO
public policy.
Again nothing could he more reasonable ana
logical than the Governors contention that lhe
remedy for any existing injustice must carry
with it appropriate safeguards, and the more
that is left 10 the judgment of the driver the
"norp imnortant is II that reckessneSs sh0uh
.be heavily penalized" Yet this bill while aooi-
isbinC specific speed limitations and substitut-
ing merely the rule Of care instead OF increas-
ing the penalties for reckless driving actually
Iirhtened them 1t left the possible term OF
Imprisonment unchanged. but reduced the hneS
in first and second offences one-haf ana III
third offences our-fifths The failure TO pre-
scribe better means for assuring the competency
of chauffeurs and for penalizinE those guilty or
reckless driving is another serious imperfection
which seems especially glarng in view OF
hit of news which came out simultaneously
with that Of the Governors veto. We are toIu
that Il boy who had no license 10 operate auto
mobiles obtained an engagement as chauffeur
and then. in defiance Of his employers lnJuhc-
tions and while under the influence Of liquor
took car out for Joy ride with the too ire
ouent result of something very close 10 man
slaughter 1t would be interesting to know
how many more liars. drunkards and thieves
with or without licenses. are running high
noyvered locomotives around the streets Of this
city.
It NAV. of course. be true that such criminal
itv as this may occur under the present law az
easily as under the bill which has just been
vetoed. There IS reason for thinking, however,
that under the latter the temptation To 1t WouId
he stronger and the difficulties Of repreSSlng not
only such extreme doinGS but also those TAR
more frequent abuses which now make New
York streets scene of almost constant terror
and neril would he much increased. We are
saws the Governor passing through n period OF
adjustment as the outcome of which the num-
her Of motor vehicles viii increase and the
number of accidents will decrease and usage
and common sense will largely do away with
present evils But during this period we should
make sure that every new law makes condl
tions better and not worse. 1t was because or
his conviction that this bill would have made
conditions worse in some important respects
that the Governor Vetoed it. and in that action
we believe he will he supported by the best
mature opinion of automobilists themselves, as
well as Of the general public.