Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-27

thing other than a paid operator, or en-
ploye, and where II has not been defined
it has not been construed to mean any
thing else or anything more.
Protect the Public,
The commonwealth contends that the
purpose of the act was to protect the pub
lie. 1t would, however. appear that IT, as
the commonwealth admits, the owner Of a
motor vehicle by reason OF his registra-
ton and without any further license, may
operate" the public Is not as well pro-
tected under the act Of 1909 as under the
act Of 1905.
We may ask II the public is necessarily
protected by licensed badged driver Of a
motor vehiclef No qualification IL re-
ouired OF the person making application
for a drivers license other than that he
sign a blank and swear to 1t, setting forth
his own qualifications, OF which he Is
made the judge. The registration Of q
motor vehicle by the owner protects the
public to the extent that the responsible
owner of the vehicle Is known and he is
responsible for the acts OF those driving
1t. Any person violating the speed or
other provisions Of the act can be pun
ished, whether he be chauffeur paid op-
orator, owner or some other third person
The power of the State Highway commits
sion to revoke the registration OF the
motor vehicle upon reasonable ground, for
improper conduct In its operation, where
the punishment under the provisions of the
act is not adequate. is an additional pro-
lection to the public This penalty can
be imposed for the misconduct Of q son.
brother or other relative Of an owner and.
besides, the relative OF the owner can be
punished by q summary conviction for his
infr&ction Of the law.
'aThs commonwealth also contends that
the sense in which the legislature used
the word chauffeur IL the sense in which
II IL defined by the photographers. ana
quotes the Century DictionAry's definition.
the driver OF an automobile and the
Standards. one who drives or operates an
automobile but admits that It may be
that It Is now coming to mean the paid
operator OF a motor carriage by whatever
means propelled When we consult Web
ster's latest dictionary, we find chauffeur
defined to bo "a professional expert IN the
operation OF automobiles A professional
expert is always paid and is usually paid
well for his professional services. Brock
haus (German) gives the same definition.
Chauffeur is q French word, and It Is
not unreasonable to assume that this word
being used in the act Is followed by its
English equivalent, as q paid operator
What the Record shows.
"still. when the photographers disagree
we are more warranted in accepting the
! legislative definitions IN other common
wealths, and the accepted understanding OF
the meaning OF the word among motorists
namely, that a chauffeur is the servant
o. the owner Of q motor vehicle. hired tC
drive and attend TO the car. II the brother
Of the owner OF a motor vehicle becomes q
chauffeur by his driving 1t with the own
er's consent, then why should not thS
driver OF a carriage or other vehicle undei
like conditions become a coaohman7 own
ers OF motor vehicles are not prone 4
hire or loan them to inexperienced, reck
less persons The value OF the motoI
vehicle itself and the responsibility Of th'
registered owner as we have shown. is 8
necessary deterrent
''Affidavits filed In this case OF men VIII,
are familiar with the operation OF auto
mobiles and have an extensive knowledge
and experience with motor clubs all defin'
a chauffeur as a man who drives a.
automobile for hire. This is undoubtedly
the common acoeptatlon Of the word. Th'