The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1910-02-24
WASHINGTON
From onr Regular Correspon lent.

There are now III Washington
the representatives of the American
Automobile Association, two hun
dred in number and yesterday their
hrst session was held and addressed
by senator's and other distinguish
ed men. The speakers from every
part OF the country criticized the
state legislatures for making Oh
structive automobile laws, and were
all IN favor of registration of auto
mobiles by the federal government.
II was curious to note, however,
that every speaker spoke in eulogy
OF the automobile laws of his par
ucular s,ateI and recommended
them as examples of good legisla-
ton, contrasting them with the au-
tomobile laws.of other states, which
according to the speaker, were not
good examples Of automobile legis-
lation. Senators and representa-
tives were present and argued the
case of the automobile interest
against restrictive states traffic IL
cense and registration laws. There
was no dissenting voice with refer
ence to The reed of uniformity in
the matter of state registration.
Senator Depew said: The Ameri-
can people, the most progressive
IN the world, should not permit the
older nations which are regarded
as too slow for us, to get ahead of
US. The Touring Club of France
has offered recognition for its
certificate lor all the other nations
of the continent, under which the
tourist maSes his deposit and then,
armed with his certificate, he goes
across Germany, Italy, Austria,
and away down to Constantinople
with the least possible delay and
no trouble. trust this question,
brought to the attention of Con-
gress by this representative body,
will lead to enligh,en legislation
before this Congress adjourns".
Senator Bob Taylor, or "Our Bob"
as he is called in Tennessee, added
comedy feature to the occasion,
when he said: 81 am not an enemy
of the automobile. l do not con-
slider it a curse, but a blessing.
In fact, | am glad TO live i'll this
age, when
Ships are on the water, ships are
in the air,
And autos are a-scooting here
and everywhere.
The wonderful development of
the automobile in recent years leads
me to believe that before long we
will have the kissophone, which
will enable a young man in Wash
ington to kiss his sweetheart 900
miles away. Then next will come
the electro scoot, into which the
New York man may step and be
in San Francisco two hours before
he started.
w. w. Cocks, member of Con-
gress from New York, who has
now a bill before Congress for fed
eral registration, said: II differ
from most of those here in that my
viewpoint is that of the farmer. l
have the advantage or disadvantage
to live on the Vanderbilt Cup
course, and know how il feels to
lie the man in the road; but as the
author of the automobile bill now
pending in Congress am keenly
interested in the work that you
are doing.
*k*
President Taft's definition as to
what constitutes whiskey has, it
appears, not settled the case. The
Presidents dictum held that all
potable spirits distilled from grain
are whiskey and entitled to be la
beled as such without such qualify
ing words as Compound or
"imitation". 1t will be remember
ed that in this decision President
Taft completely reversed that OF
President Roosevelt. New regula-
tions have been formulated respec'
ting the branding of whiskey by a
board composed of the Secretary
of the Treasury, the Secretary OF
Agriculture and the Secretary OF
Commerce and Labor. These regu'
lations were made public this week
and they mean victory for the rec
tifers and adulterators OF What was
supposed under the Roosevelt ad-
ministration to be the only pure
whiskey. But while this decision
delights many compounders OF
"fre-water" it is Objectionable to
the distillers Of straight whiskey'
or what they consider the only pure
strH They have already given