Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-27
|AUTOOWNERSH HEARD
Objections to Proposed Addi-
tionaI Taxation.
MAKE VIGOROUS PROTEST
Penalties Under Law Regarded as
Degrading and Absurd.
REVIEW OF THE PROVISIONS
Assessment of Machines According
to Horsepower Earnestly Opposed.
w. S. Duvall's Arguments.
REVIEW OF THE PROVISIONS

y
Protests against the proposed law which
auds additional taxes on automobiles were
heard by the Commissioners today. The
arguments against this proposed law.
which adds in addition to licenses, etc a
TAX on automobiles in accordance with
their horsepower, were made by Cornell
Wilson. president of the Terminal Taxi
cab Company; w. S. Duval. attorney for
and president of the Automobile Club OF
Washington, and S. V. Hayden. attorney
Tor the Auto Livery Company and the
Federal Taxicab Company. They said
that all the automobile owner would get
after paying "a burdensome lot of taxes
and being subject to all sorts of fines
and penalties is the common-law right of
driving along the streets and roads. which
horse owners enjoy without such strin-
gent legislation.
Scale of Taxes.
The proposed bill. drawn up by Capt.
William Kelly. would tax twenty-horse-
power automobiles Sc year, between
| twenty and forty horsepower sI2 a
year, and SIS a year for automobiles OF
greater horsepower. provided that no
machine of more than 5000 pounds
shall pay less than SIS a year. In add
tax of 81. e''e0
The bill has a paragraph empowering
the Commissioners to revoke a license
when 1t appears that the driver OF a
car is not to be trusted in the streets
or on the roads. There was some dis
cussion on this point, the Commission
ers holding that ii was necessary for
the public safety, and the automobilists,
arguing that If this were true, why not
make the same rules for drivers OF
horses?
One point in the proposed law prohib-
its visiting automobiles from coming
here without paying a license tax. ex
cept for two periods Il year, not to CA
coed week each.
Mr.. Duvall's Objections.
On this point Mr.. Duyall said:
What possible object can we have In
forbidding any well-to-do citizen of a
neighboring state from coming to our
city? Is it not fact that the Board
Of Trade, the Chamber of Commerce and
you, Messrs. Commissioners. are con-
stantly doing all in your power and de-
vising all sorts of schemes to bring citi-
zens of other places here? Is ii not q.
fact that as a general rule owners OF
automobiles arc people with money In
their pockets? Then, why should they
be debarred or restricted i'm their visits:
If they have the number tag of their
own state on their cars or a temporary
number of the District, can't they be men
titled and is not Identification and not
graft the sole purpose of our laws re-
lating to automobiles?
with Maryland ii is different. The
laws of that state look TO the automobile
merely TO raise money for lot of fat
4 oIaf-i x.f}i. -l,sn l.G
such object in view
Taxing by Horsepower.
Speaking of the taxing by horsepower,
Mr. Duvall said:
I'VE have now come to the real meat
of the proposed law. and that is the
proposition to tax automobiles i'm accord
ance with their horsepower. Such a law
as a matter Of common principle is just
as Objectionable as the so-caled wheel.
tax in accordance with the seating ca
pacity. 1t Is nothing more or less than
attempt to levy not second, but a third
tax on the same piece of personal prop
erty. We know that as a proposition OF.
law double taxation is frowned upon by
the courts; and we also know that the
only true principle under which taxes can
be laid is value. The only exception tn
this rule is the excise tax, which is more,
or less arbitrary.
Automobiles, like other personal prop
erty, are already taxed in accordance
with their value, and where they are used,
for gain or revenue they are taxed under
the excise laws. Why should they he
taxed a second and third time and If
this is permissible. where will this .mpo-
sition stop? Taxation according to horse
power is purely arbitrary, and hence OBJ
jectionable. --z
Think of a law taxing horses i'm ac-
cordance with the size of their hoofs
Ridiculous, is 1t not? Yet. no more SD
than taxing automobiles in accordance
with their horsepower"
Degrading and Absurd"
Mr. Duvall pointed out that the penal-'
ties connected with violations of traffic.
speed and other laws in connection with
this proposed measure ARE so degrading
and excessive as to simply render them
absurd.
Thus, under a third offense,' continued
Mr.. Duvall, 1.-The offender must be fined
not less than $50, but may be fined $50,
and he must go to the workhouse for not
less than thirty days, but not more than
six months. Think of a law that would
SO degrade one of our esteemed citizens
that in the event he was convicted three
times within a year of some trivial infrac-
ton of the police regulations il becomes
obligatory for Police Court judge to fine
him not less than $50 and send him to the
1 less