The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1910-07-22
AUTO FEELING ACROSS RIVER?
Commissioner Smith of Jersey Writes
Commissioner Hunter Sharp Letter.


Commissioner Hunter Sharp Letter.
A despatch from Trenton, n. j.,
says:
Threatening to retaliate upon the
motorists of Pennsylvania unless the
discrimination of the keystone state
against those of New Jersey Is re-
moved, State Motor Vehicle Commits
sioner Smith has written a lengthy
letter to John w. Hunter, state
highway commissioner of Pennsyl-
vania, requesting that Pennsylvania
extend to New Jersey motorists the
privileges provided for in the ad-
joining states reciprocal motor We
hicle law. Commissioner Smith goes
at length into the details of New Jer-
sey's system of improved roads, the
absence of toll roads, the large
amounts expended annually to keep
the roads in repair, so that they shall
always afford good riding for auto
mobilists, aud the comparatively
small cost of a nonresident motor
lists privilege. He also recites the
fact that should Pennsylvania see fit
to provide as many good roads in
proportion to it's size as New Jer-
sey, it would cost more than $780,
100000; that the expense and an
noyance of Pennsylvania numerous
toll roads more than balance the ex-
pense and annoyance of obtaining a
New Jersey nonresident automobile
lice departments of numerous Penn
sylvanja municipalities have special
orders to look out for and annoy
New Jersey automobilists. Commits
sioner Smith further says, in part:
New Jersey motorists desiring to
operate their cars in Pennsylvania
have on several occasions called the
attention of this department to the
construction placed on the provis-
ions of the Pennsylvania reciprocal
law relating to motor vehicles, which
provides that privileges granted to
non-residents shall not apply to
residents of those states that do not
extend similar privileges to resi-
dents of Pennsylvania. The privi-
leges referred to are that non-resi-
dents shall be exempt from the pro-
visions of the act for period of 10
days if they have complied with the
registration laws of the state in
which they reside.
ITO New Jersey motorists reci-
that the New Jersey law provides
nonresident privileges of eight days
upon registration and the payment
of nominal fee, and yet in dealing
with residents of other states. many
of whose registration laws are in
many respects wholly dissimilar to
those of Pennsylvania. liberal con-
struction of the reciprocal provision
is made, and residents of other
states are accordingly extended
courtesies which are denied residents
of New Jersey. In addition to this,
the police departments of many
Pennsylvania municipalities have is
sued orders specially directing that
the automobile law shall be strictly
enforced against residents of New
Jersey.
For this reason two of the larg-
est clubs of New Jersey have, by
resolution, and many motorists have
personally urged me to exercise the
prerogative of the department and
refrain from issuing tourists licenses
to residents of Pennsylvania. / dis
like very much to pursue such a
course, and will not do so except as
a last resort. Retaliatory measures
seem to me to be methods of war
fare coming to us from less en-
lightened civilization, to be used only
when individual rights can be OBJ
tanned in no other way. / am con-
fident that some way may be found
whereby citizens of New Jersey will
not be Disseminated against while
touring in your state. If your law
is to be strictly construed, | am sure
that your authorities will, upon re-
Election, so cOnstrue it to affect oil
alike. If liberal construction is 10
be employed, l trust all will receive
the benefits.