The Washington herald., 1910-01-23
MAKES STRONG PLEA
Continued from Page One

Continued from Page One
it's registration provisions, as does, for
example, the law of the State Of New
York.
Highest Degree Desirable.
NO one will dissent from the PROPOSE
ltlon that uniformity in motor vehicle
Regulation is not only e>pedient but IN
the highest degree desirable. 1t is con-
ceded that more harm and injustice are
sometimes brought by lack Of uniformity
of the laws of the various States than
10y imperfect or even bad laws in special
instances Nowhere is this better illus
itrated than in the case OF travel upon
highways.
TO take a concrete example, suppose
that one were to start in his motor We
hcle at New York to make trip to his
National Capital at Washington TO trans
act business with his government lie
will have no sooner left the ferryboat
on the Jersey shore before he WIFI be
stopped and notified that he can proceed
no farther He Will find that what he
had always assumed TO be his natural
right 10 use the highways OF the coun-
try, so long as he scrupulously regarded
the rights of others upon the highway,
has been erected into a privilege, TO he
purchased only by the payment Of money
and the expenditure Of time and trouble
in seeking out one of the government Of
icers and paying fees for a sO-called IL
cense.'
He must find the proper officer al the
place where these fees are received, fiji
out and sign an application blank. pay
his money, and receive four tags. each
one Of which is good for two days en-
Ijoyment OF this grand privilege OF using
the highways; and after he has done all
these things. he will find that the State
is not yet satisfied.
! Tie must before he may proceed, fll
out and execute a regular power Of at
torney. making the secretary Of state
his agent 10 receive process in any pro
.ceeding which may be brought against
him while he is enjoying this so-caned in
lestimable privilege.
/ The Disadvantages.
! when ne reaches the borders OF the
state Of Maryland he will be again held
up aud Obliged. before he will he allowed
to continue his journey, 10 go through
very much the same process as he did
when he attempted TO cross the borders
of New Jersey. He will be put 10 pretty
much the same annoyance. inconvenience.
ana expense when he attempts TO cross
the line into the District of Columbia. and
Il viii be very likely that when he reaches
the seat Of his national government he
viii be 50 incensed as 20 have entirely
/ forgotten the business upon which he
came, and be possessed only with the Idea
that there should be some power !n the
national government 10 remedy the OWL
Of which he has been a victim. and that
/ If there Is such power it should be speedily
and effectively applied
There seems TO be no reason why regu-
lations applicable in one section Of the
country should not be equally applicable
to every other section Of the country; why
the provisions OF law adequate for one
state should not be equally adequate for
every other State. II would seem that in
this country of ours. if we are really q
to operate motor vehicle good in New
York should not be equally good I'm san
Francisco and in every portion Of the
highway between these two cities, and
why one knowing thoroughly the law
under which he has secured such license
should not be able 10 proceed from New
York 10 San Francisco I'm the perfect con-
fdence that If he obeys that law he viii
not be violating tho law in any Of the
jurisdictions traverSed by the highway
/ upon which he travels
The automobiliSt claims no special
privileges, but he claims the right 10 fair
treatment and to that end that the laws
which regulate the use OF his highways
shall be so plain and reasonable that he
who runs an automobile may read them
and may obey them. and still may travel
with comfort and freedom from intoler-
able eXactions and needless burdens"