Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-04-29
FRIDAY, APRIL 20, 1910.

From Burlington Free Press.

AS has already been intimated in
these columns, future legislation, in
relation to automobile speed will have
almost as much reference to the pro-
lection of the roadways of the country
as to the safety of the travelling public.
The road problem will not be solved un
til some means has been discovered
whereby the disruption of the surface
of our supposed permanent highways
by the motor car may be prevented. If
no constructive process can be discover
ed to remedy the situation, then it will
be necessary to reduce the number of
miles an hour at which tourist and
other autos can pass over our highways,
in the country as well as in the city.
The tendency to assume that an auto
can run at high rate of speed with i'm
munity in the rural regions is well illus
trated by bill which has recently pas
sed the lower branch of the New York
Legislature. This measure has been
considered one of the most important
handled by the lower house, and is in
fact, the most important passed so far.
Its introducer, Assemblyman Callan of
Columbia county, has worked indefatig
ably in getting the bill in such shape
that it would be acceptable to all as far
as possible.
The bill in its present form provides
speed limit of thirty miles an hour in
country districts, fifteen miles an hour
in second and third class cities and vii
lagos, and allows first class cities to
make their own automobile traffic regu
lations. A provision that automobilists
must always govern their rate of speed
by the conditions of traffic, it is believed
will prevent any cklessness under the
high speed limit that is allowed.
Like the Vermont law the Callan bill
provides for the taxation of autos ac-
cording to their horse power, but while
the Vermont law provides for an initial
registration fee of one dollar for each
horsepower, and smaller registration
fees in succeeding years, the Callan
measure divides autos into classes &C
cording to their horsepower for purpos-
es of taxation.
The registration fees which are to be
paid to the Secretary of State, as in
Vermont. are s. for machines of %
horsepower or under, so for cars be-
tween % and 80 horsepower, SO be-
tween 80 and As horse power. No per-
son is to be allowed to run a machine
who is under eighteen years of age.
Chauffeurs are to be licensed after
passing an examination and must al
ways while driving a car carry their
licenses, their pictures, and personal
description. The penalty for running a
car while intoxicated is made one year
Imprisonment for the first offence, and
not less than one year nor more than
five years for the second offence.
For running away after an accident
the first offence is not more than two
years Imprisonment or a fine of $500,
and imprisonment of not less than one
year nor more than five years for a
second offence. Numerous provisions
are also made in reference to the size
of lamps to be carried, the size of license
numbers to be displayed and other mat
ters pertaining to the running of an
automobile.
1t is evident from the summary of the
auto measure, which is likely to become
law, that our neighbors of the Empire
State are making the mistake which
most States have made thus far in their
auto legislation, in ignoring the fact
that there is almost as much need of
care as to speed over the rural roads as
in the larger centers of population.
Sooner or later legislators will become
aroused to the fact that autos and the
good road problem are at present insep-
arabic.