New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-08-11
PLEADS FOR NEW JERSEY
]. B. R. Smith Says Non-Resl.
dent Motorists Should Be Taxed
VISITORS WEAR OUT ROADS
Commissioner Defends State /,
Passing Laws to Fill It's
Drained Golfers.

J. 3. r. Smith. COMMISSIONS Of Mo.,,
Vehicles Of the State Of New JERSEY. z,,..
at the house of the Automobile Clu5 :.
America last evening on the present po,,..,
in his state of dealing with non-rest4s,.
motorists. which has caused so much N,
favorable criticism He said IN part.
The whole issue. az view IT, is the >,
suit Of lack Of knowledge Of the dissi-,,
larity in the motoring conditions bstes.,
New Jersey and elsewhere. 7 desire 70 COS.
slider few of these points Of dissin1ar,z
and then review the motoring condition. !,
New Jersey. with q view OF ascertainfnz 10
possible, whether or not there has be.,
either I'm intent or IN fact. a disposition :,
be exclusive, iIIiberaI or mean: whether N.
exact reverse has not been both the Dr.
pose and the achievement of New JERSEY
and then 70 urge liberation on the part =.
nonresident motorists, even as nav.
urged In New Jersey liberation on the par
of our own citizens. who resent what thsy
regard the coercive and nneddling policy a.
residents who assume 10 dictate "a
them what their laws shall Re and ROW
they shall be administered
Our state Is the highway between r1s
North and the South, and has on IFS east
ern borders city with popula ton Of az
prcximately 45Oo,0no and IN the uestsr,
borders a city with a population 81 nearly
1000 900 which for motoring purposes ara
practically parts OF New JERSEY. and which
added 10 the already dense population II
the state, will make an aggregate approx
mating a.c0o 900 persons whose AUTOMOBILES
regularly use the roads Of state Ehos.
area is not so great as that 81 Nassa-
chusetts. and yet one whose mileage Of im-
proved roads far exceeds that Of any other
state.
These and many other conditions
brought New Jersey face 70 face AZ verv
early dav with motoring problems which
in many instances are orly Just noU pre-
senting themselves 70 other states, ard
which shall undertake 70 discuss in thst-
order
With regard 70 our improved road sys-
tenn, II will he remembered thar rs no~
have approximately three thousand miles
Of improved roads
The excessive wear and tear cr rns rad
system caused BY automobiles has proved
terrific drain on our little state. Last
wear IL cost more than 4 million dollars 70
repair these roads. 7 am sure that alb nc
florists now agree that considerable part
AT least of this expense must be borne ~
themselves. When IT is considered that ths
net revenue from New jersey motorists
this year will hardly exceed 10000 II vii
be seen what a heavy drain rhe repair u
the damage entails upon our state II the
highways were used almost exclusively by
residents. and if nonresident tourists vera
the exception as is the case in other states,
perhaps the suggestion that the resident
should bear such expense would be iusti-
fed
But in New Jersey there are more cars
regularly used BY non-residents than 81
residents.
The tendency of our motor law Sincs
1906 has been TO nberalize and make more
easy the lot of the notorist, while the ten
dency in many II not ALL of the other
states has been TO make the law more
rigid We are naturally and properly in
advance Of not behind, other states The
ground which We have already travelled
many states are Just now entering upon
AS other states have lately found il nee
essarv TO make motoring conditions more
rigid while New Jersey has been able %
relax, unless a permanent road surracius
is found it is quite probable that these
states may find il necessary 20 Fetrscs
their steps regarding tourists privileges as
the use of motor vehicles and the mileage
of stone roads increase
Are residents of such states competent.
then. to assume to criticfse New Jersey for
pursuing policy regarding which they ars
yet without adequate technical knowledge