Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-07-29
LAW BAD,
IS ASSEMBLYMAN
EDGES OPINION
One DollarT Temporary NOn-resi-
dent License Should Be
Abolished.

OF New York, Pennsylvania and other
States directed against motorists of
this State because of the temporary
tourist tax levied here on motorists
from all other States, declares the law,
while producing a nominal revenue
only, means an annual loss to hotel
keepers, garages, other t~radespeople
and motorists of several hundred thou
sand dollars.
As a remedy Colonel Edge, who faith
cred a bill to repeal the law which pro-
voked the retaliatory legislation In
other States, suggests the appointment
of a commission of two or three mem
bers of the Legislature from New York.
Pennsylvania, Massachusetts,, Con-
necticut and this State to be named by
the governors OF these States for the
purpose of suggesting legislation that
might solve the problem. In his inter-
view Colonel Edge says:
Motorists. as well as business men,
located in the southern section of New
CCt6cJ AdfG UtGn vel lhuOti libOA So
In the controversy and comments ap-
pearing in the press of Philadelphia
and New York and of the northern end
of the State concerning New Jerseys
present position In the matter of auto
mobile Legislation and reciprocity. :
Commissioner Smiths threat of re-
taliation on Pennsylvania by withdraw
ing the temporary tourist privilege for
which the State of New Jersey receives
the large sum of 81 might be justified,
in view OF the apparent activity on
the part of Pennsylvania authorities to
a~pprehend Jerseymen; but, on the other
moment considered New Jerseys tenn
porary tourist license In the nature of
a reciprocity Offering or agreement On
the contrary, 1t has been viewed, so
far as I have been able to learn, as a
narrow 'hold-up' that resulted In abso-
lutely no financial gain to the State,
as the total receipts from this opera
ton In 1909 were about $1,000. while. on
the other hand. because of the imposing
of this nominal and insignificant fee, 1t
has kept New Jersey entirely out of
the class of reciprocal States and
denied it the privileges which would
thereby be enjoyed.
"It certainly has not been already
forgotten that strenuous efforts were
made in the Legislature at the last
session to meet this very condition, the
result of which was absolutely apparent
to all who attempted to look ahead. A
bill was introduced in the House of
Assembly providing for temporary reel
procal privileges on a similar basis ID
Pennsylvania and that which was X
pected to be adopted in New York.
This bill was discussed fully and
passed the House OF Assembly by a
decisive vote. and, in fact, was the
very first bill of the session of 1910 to
pass the House. The bill was later
defeated in the Senate.
BHps Defeat Was Costly.
IF this bill had passed New Jersey
would. of course, have lost the $1,000,
which amount they had collected in
1909 for this 81 temporary tourist
license, and would unquestionably have
lost some additional revenue that Is
now paid by nonresident tourists for
annual licenses. On the other hand,
New Jersey motorists, who paid some
IiAAii5 ilhS SIoViuVU ILClLlSclftS 10 LIS
State, according to the motor depart
ment's reports of 1909, would have been
absolutely saved $3.50, 900 which they are
now compelled to pay Pennsylvania
and another $150, 900 which they are
likewise compelled to pay New York
II they wish to motor in either or both
States, which a large majority of them
undoubtedly do. This is a very small
part of 1t, however. The business In
terests of the State of New ~Jersey-not
only the seashore resorts along the
coast, but the small stores, garages and
hotels in every section of the State
have lost a revenue because OF the
boycott that has existed impossible to
compute.
w must take into consideration the
fact that 1902 ~non-residents did not
take advantage of the 81 temporary
license which was open to them in
1909, but contributed about $40, 900 to
the State for. a full years license in
stead Why would they not naturally
do the same thing with the reciprocal
emitting the 81. if they intended
to use h State -oads more than tenn
porarily, rather than be bothered by
being held up If they did not attempt
to use it more than the ten days al
lowed?
Revenue Loss Small.
Certainly they had a chance to take
out temporary licenses in 1909 for 81,
and only $1,000 worth awaited them
selves OF the privilege. 1 do not think.
so far as revenue is concerned, there
fore, that the State would suffer q great
loss with the 81 eliminated, and some
thought should be given, on the other
hand, to what 1t would save our W
citizens.
1T seems to me that If you do not
view this in any other way, it should
be viewed as a straight-out business
proposition, n If viewed in that light
alone New Jersey can afford to lose a
few thousand dollars for the sake or
taking in many thousands of dollars
and saving our citizens a larger ex-
pense account as well.
In addition to all this is the bad
feeling that all acknowledge has been
engendered all over the Eastern States
because of New Jerseys generally con-
ceded attitude with motor legislation.
A business Proposition.
Let us place this matter in concrete
form and just see how the proposition
figures out in a matter of dollars and
cents. With the present law, taking
1909 as a basis Il haven't the figures
for 1910 at hand) the temporary-tour-
444 ~ mn -