The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-05
Motoring Notes.
Good Road News
and Trade Matters


The American Automobile associa-
ton banqueted, elected officers and
passed resolutions demanding national
action in favor of good roads at its
annual meeting in Chicago. Follow
ing are the officers for 1919:
President Laurence Enos. Buffalo;
vice. presidents. John Wilson, Frank
lin, Pa; II. H. Rowe, Baltimore:
Ralph w. Smith. Denver; F. L. Baker.
Los Angeles; Asa Raine. Minneapolis;
secretary, John n. Brooks, Torr.ng-
ton, Ont; treasurer, III. A Bonnell,
East Orange, N. j.; chairman of exc
cutive board, A. G. Datchoider, New
York.
The meeting next year will be at
Richmond, Va A branch OF the as
ISOLATION will be Established at Wash
fngton, d. c., with main headquarters
In New York.
The national touring trophy. ell
yer loving cup two feet high, was the
centerpiece of the banquet. Retiring
President Robert z, Hooper said that
1t would be the prize for the touring
race of 1913 from Detroit to New
Orleans. The demand of Ohio for a
second State organization was re-
fused. the delegates declaring that one
organization In a State Is enough.
c, alton OF federal bureau OF
good roads to be under the secretary
Of the interior was demanded Ia the
highway resolutions.
The next annual meeting will be
in Richmond. A branch of the asso-
citation Is to be established in Wash
ington, no doubt. to assist In the
federal aid propaganda and other
good roads propositions the A. A. A.
has on. Where formerly 1t WAS a
regular thing to meet in New York
the convention Is swinging around the
country more. This is good way
for the association to spread its In
fiuence.
Automobflists and the Law.
Despite the fact that he owns an
automobile. a man Is still a citizen
and as such, Is entitled to equal con-
sideration In the eyes OF the law
with the man who does not own a
motor car There may have been a
time in the dim past when all auto
mobile owners were listed as wealthy
and as such a discriminating lot of
tradespeople and local justices OF the
peace tempered their charges to the
ability to pay.
Such ownership is far from the
case today, In fact IL might be ga Id
with absolute truth that the ma
tority OF car owners are not rich
and never expect to be. Under such
circumstances. we protest against the
assessment OF unequal and dissimiiar
charges for equal and similar SER
vices. This LIS well illustrated by the
story OF the motoring party, which
driving quietly up to a country hotel:
took dinner there. leaving their car
up the road q short WAYS meanwhile
After they had eaten their dinnerr.
paid for them at the rate OF fifty
cents each and were seated In their
car about to drive away. the hotel
Keepers son ran up to them and
called to the driver. Hey thers.
pa ser them dinners was a dollar
each. he didn't know you came in
an automobile
In England recently, an autemo-
bilist was fined s3s for obstru.t ne
the road, while q pedestrian. arrested
Tor the same offense on the same road
and at almost the same time, was
nned by the same Justice but s125
Ihis Is not law but rank injustice,
class prejudice Of the worst kind.
Lhere are many cases of the same
sort in this country, but the facts
or none OF them were available. hence
the recital of the English incident. AS
matter Of fact. the judges and
local magistrates abroad are no diff
Ierent in this respect than those In
the United States. Motorists can
remedy this situation bv keeping
track OF all payments of this sort
ana comparing notes with other
1t is fact that the majority of
Justices and magistrates are elected
by popular vote and automobile clubs
should Keep track OF those who dis
cr'minate against them and utilize
their power to prevent the re-elec-
tion or these men. In number OF
similar ways the various motoring or
carnations by keeping close tab upon
these matters will be able to remedy
the present bad situation. otor
Car.
Prisoner Deviscs n "Crook Catcher. ~
me old age about setting a thief
10 catch a thief may not apply In
all cases. but Lawrence T. Romer.
an automobile mechanician who is
serving a term In the Denver tCoL)
county Jail unknowingIy perhap rs
1900 NNA~t ~ tnS RTOFETD DIV Uf-
vising a scheme whereby the thsevine
Joy rider" may be thwarted before
ne even gets started on his trip.
Romef proposes to attach his deytea
which may be set when the car ia
stopped and which will emit siren
IKE calls for help As soon as the
"ouid-b De thief attempts to crank the
car. the sound coming from an
adaptation Of a siren whistle located
beneath the hood The racket Is
calculated to be SUFFICIENT not only
TO cause terror to the thief but to
attract attention to his contemplated
deed. The arrangement will work as
wei IN garage at night as on the
street.
President. Elect On Good Roads,
j tell you frankly my interests IN
good roads is not merely an interest
IN the pleasure OF riding in autos,
IL Is not merely an interest in the
much more important matter OF al
fording farmers OF this country ana
Residents in villages means OF ready
access to such neiEhboring markets as