Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1911-05-27
SMITH HAS POWER
To BAR TOURISTS
UNDER AUTO LAW
Auto Commissioner States His
Position Regarding Eight
Day Licenses.

Enormous interest has been awak-
ened in automobile circles over the re-
cent decisions of J. B. r. Smith. New
Jersey commissioner of motor vehicles,
barring residents of Pennsylvania and
Delaware from obtaining eight-day
automobile tourist licenses in this State
on account of the refusal of those
States to grant similar privileges to
tourists from New Jersey. Motorists
everywhere are wondering what the
outcome of the matter will be and
whether New York and Massa-
sets will follow the lead of Mary
land, which State agreed to enter
into reciprocal relations with this
State. or whether they will refuse the
motorists of New Jersey a tourist
license and thereby lose the eight-day
license privilege now accorded them in
New Jersey. The next few days will
tell the tale as the order of the COM
missioner in regard to Pennsylvania
and Delaware will go into effect OF
June l, and the license agencies in
those States will be abolished on that
day. 1t may be that if the New York
authorities decide that a tourist license
cannot be granted in that State, that
"a biii wa NC iilloduOtu III the NGH
York Legislature Monday night look
ing for an amendment to the Callan
law that Will permit Secretary of State
Lazansky to NEE the requests of New
Jersey for reciprocity and grant a tour
list license on the same terms as now
obtains under the amended Frelinghuy-
sen law.
Regarding the power of the commits
giOtaAr 70 ahAltel Al 81 a. -
privilege to residents of some States
and still grant the privilege to resi-
dents of other States, the question
arose whether a distinction could be
made between States. In other words.
whether he ruling of the department
of motor vehicles must not of neces-
sity apply to all visiting tourists to our
State or not apply at all.
Commissioner Smith, when seer in re-
gard to this point, told a STAR re-
porter that there could be no question
but what the spirit and purpose of the
tourists license act was to enable the
department to extend reciprocal priv.
ileges within the limits prescribed in
the act to non-residents. He held that
power to issue this license at his dis
erection clearly indicates his power to
issue or to withhold wherever in his
judgment reciprocal relations indicated
which course should be pursued; that
its whole purpose is to give special
privileges to non-residents in exchange
for special privileges given by other
States to residents of this State and
hat in those cases where no special
privileges are given by other States
the department has not only the right
but II is it's duty to withhold special
privileges to residents of such States.
Mr.. Smith further said:
THE Maryland authorities quickly
recognized the injustice lone to New
Jersey motorists and speedily entered
into reciprocal relations, and in all due
respect to the legal authorities of
Pennsylvania and Delaware I cannot
understand by what rule of law they
undertake to discriminate between the
citizens of different States. The de-
partment has all along been earnest in
It's e%ndeavors to secure reciprocity. but
I cannot see any reciprocity under the
arrangement which admits non-resl-
dents to this State upon the payment
of 81 when our own residents are com-
PEELED to pay from $40 to s25 to go into
other States"