New-York tribune., 1912-03-21
JERSEY AUTO BILL DEAD
Reciprocity Measure Beaten in
Senate by Two Votes.
LONG AND RED HOT DEBATE
Opponents So Proud of Their
Roads That Foreign Motor.
lists Are Barred.
BY Telegraph to The Tribune I,

Trenton, n. j., March 20.-Assemb,vr,,r
Suckers automobile reciprocity bin was
defeated in the Senate this afternoon bv
vote OF TO 10 after red hot three hour
debate. The Dill, which provided that for
eiSn autoists could use tho roads OF New
Jersey for fifteen days in a year without
the necessity of filing power OF attorney.
had been amended in the Senate 10 pro.
vide for Il 90 per cent increase in license
fees, but the opponents Of the measure
were still unsatished.
The vote was as follows: Yeas-Colgats
Edge, Fielder, Johnson. Low, Pierce,
Prince, Slocum-s.
Nays-Gaunt, Gebhardt, Hand. Leavitt,
Lewis, Nichols, Price, Read, Silzer, Small.
ley-10.
Senator Austen Colgate, OF Essex, IA
thered the bill in the Senate He asserted
that the wall which had been built about
New Jersey TO the exclusion OF nonresident
autoists should be removed at once. ia
explained that the measure granted free
tifteen-day touring privilege TO non-resl-
dents and took the power of attorney away
from the Secretary Of State. The present
law, he declared. had resulted in A boy
colt on auto goods made In this state Ha
ridiculed the suggestion that autoists have
destroyed the roads, and argued that, in
stead. they had made the roads. Forty.
four states no said, have laws similar to
the provisions OF the measure under dis
cussion.
Mr. Johnson insisted that the influx ot
foreign autoists would not do the roads the
damage contended by opponents Of the bill.
and pointed, for example, to the experience
Of other states operating under law
similar to the pending bill.
1t was Mr.. Leavtts contention that there
would be no possible way Of determining
whether a foreign autoist was in the state
fifteen days or fifteen weeks. Consequent.
ly, he did not think the limited touring
privilege was worthy Of serious considera-
ton. "The bill does not provide for proper
reciprocity" concluded the Mercer Sens-
tor and that is why 7 am opposed 10 r."
Mr.. Gebhardt argued that under a law
such as proposed there would be no wav
Of prosecuting nonresident autoists who
violated it, There would be no way
Of getting service on them, he stated.
THE object Of this bill is not so much
desire 20 help out the foreign automobi-
lists" declared Mr.. Gebhardt, but rather
the self-desire Of New Jersey autoists to
enjoy the free touring privilege in other
states" The Hunterdon Senator believed
that the present fees should be increased
four times, If the bill passed. i'm order 10
pay for the damage done TO roads by the
non-residents.
Before the rolcall Mr.. Colgate eX-
pressed a desire 10 pronounce a requiem
over the bill" lie likened the opposition
to the action Of drygoods storekeeper
who closed his shop on a rainy day go
that the place would not be soiled by the
wet feet Of shoppers.
When Mr.. Stickel, the introducer Of the
bill in the Assembly, heard Of its defeat
he said he would introduce another bin
along the lines of the District Of Columbia
act, under which n foreign motorist, on
registering with the Secretary OF state
will have a slxty-day free privilege.