The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-10-03
Motoring Notes,
GoodRoadsNews
and Trade Matters

"A question OF INV concerning IflOIoE
trucks came up before his honor.
Judge Crutchfeld. yesterday and after
a consultation with Assistant City
of the Police court decided to see
if there were precedents which might
cover the CAGES and the legal poser.
Consequently, Judge Crutchfield said
he would hand down his decision
October 10th
The question involved demonstra-
tons of motor trucks and their use
by prospective purchasers without a
special operating license. Sergeant
Shoemaker had noticed that a large
truck was doing business for a con-
Germ. and that 1t had even travelled
to Petersburg and back. The truck
was operated under a dealers license
end Sergeant Shoemaker naturally
suspected that the concern was TAX
ing advantage of this fact: was using
the truck to do It's business without
paying the state the necessary license
fee.
When he made Inquiries he found
that the truck had been loaned by a
dealer who wished to demonstrate it's
capabilities to the concern. These
demonstrations are varied. Some
times a prospective purchaser tells
the dealer in trucks that it had taken
hts mule teams three days to trans-
port certain amount of produce
from one point to another. The
dealer sends a motor truck To- per-
form the same work, in an effort to
demonstrate that it can be done
quicker. at less expense and more t.f-
fectively than by the horseless veh.ee
Long Demonstrations.
Sometimes the purchaser iIss'ls
upon long demonstration }{s
wishes to find out the eompar. =
values Of motor truck and !. ~ He
team for period of thirty DAYS. : 3e
dealer is usually willing to prove a "
his motor truck can do more work.
give better service at reduced IN II
with less wear and tear on e0fab,
ment and with less cost OF upkteY ar
maintainence, and accepts the 10 D
osition.
The possible purchaser of the tt.gcls
Incidentally finds that there are NUNS
erous makes of motor trucks inel4t.i-
ing electric vehicles, and he wishes
to get the best for his money. He geta
one dealer after another to give him
demonstration affrf If ne IN or
shrewd nature he might we'll get at
feast SIX months work out OF the
various dealers for nothing
OF course no reputable business
man would be guilty of performing
such a sharp trick. and the majority
who ash for demonstration by rival
trucks are really endeavoring to get
the vehicle best suited to their needs.
In the meantime the trucks are being
operated under dealers license, to
the possible loss OF revenue To the
Commonwealth.
What About License?
What Is TO be done? Must the
dealer take out license for every
truck he loans for demonstration
That is the crux OF the question. for
IL Is certain that no business man.
merchant. brewer, factory owner or
chief OF transportation concern will
offer to get out license for every
truck that he tries out. He will re-
fuse to try the truck II he has to paw
ten dollars for the privilege.
Colonel Wayne Anderson yesterday
argued that the merchant who gets
the loan of the truck should be willing
to do so as he gets the benefit but
that Is another matter. The merchant
usually is not willing to pay He
wants to be convinced that the motor
has at hand. and dealers are ready
TO convince him. but the prospective
purchaser sees no reason why he
should pay ten dollars for the priv
ffege OF being shown, He is from
the central town in the middle county
Of Missouri In this regard.
How About Dealer?
And II the prospective purchaser
viii not, should the dealer be obliged
to take out a special license for each
truck that gives demonstration?
That appears to be the question
that the -5Nester OF the Richmond
Police court will have to decide
1t Is likely that the average dealer
would pay for the license even if
the court should rule that the pros
pective purchaser should do so. It Ia
not uncommon now for a dealer to
place truck with a concern until
ne Is able to I'LL an order. A truck
may be ordered and the dealer I'M
able to fiif the order Tor at least thirty
days The merchant In in hurry
to get his vehicle and the obiiging
dealer allows him TO use truck unit!
the vehicle ordered can he delivered
IT would not be surprising II the
motor truck dealer cbta fned Il license
Tor his customer as soon as the order
ts placed, even II 1t did take ten dol
lars OFF his profits.
Shrunk in the Wash.
Ana. That order OF Secretary Mae
VeaKh's reducing the size of sncnev
comes guspiciousiy close upon the
heels Of the innovation of laundering
The old bills In Washington Ii looks
~ II tins money hSd sfiruiik iii Tie i
wash. Chicago Daily News.
MAXWELL Car VIII Entsr.
Robert b. Airport says that d Rris-
Soc MAXWELL car. which II Meti k4..,ss n
Ito appearance In ono OF the events
1t the racing meet here. Mr.. Airport
{coOtinusd On GixtA 1sgN