New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-10
Present Statute Affords Public
Too Little Protection.
OFTEN AIDS CRIMINALS
Machines Figured in Rosenthal
Murder and Many Daring
Hold Ups This Year.


session Of the Legislature In It's present
form, the state authorities. declare, the
motor vehicle law, as licensing measure.
does not afford adequate protection to
the public, and that in comparison with
other states the revenues are not what
they should be.
The following amendments have been
suggested:
Requiring all operators OF cars to be
licensed.
Providing a fat horsepower registration
fee, instead of the present graduated tax.
Prohibiting the enactment OF local
Prohibiting the use of manufacturers
and dealers "M-plates," except In dem
onstrating cars or in removing car
from place TO place. for the purpose OF
sale. Manufacturers plates In duplicate
to have separate marks of distinction.
Exempting from tax only cars owned
and controlled BY state and municipal au-
thorities, and used exclusively for official
business.
Permitting non-resldents registered in
other states to operate cars in New York
State for an unlimited period.
Legislation to abate the smoke nuisance
and unnecessary noise.
Requiring number plates 10 be kept
reasonably clean, and prohibiting the
lending, renting or changing OF number
plates from one car TO another
Requiring public garages as we'll as
manufacturers and dealers to keep a
or leaves a garage.
Making the operation Of a car by an
intoxicated person, or IN q careless or
reckless manner, criminal offence pun
ishable on conviction by imprisonment .
Giving TO the state. power to suspend
or revoke an operators permit for cause,
after q hearing.
Giving state automobile inspectors the
power OF constables, except the service OF
q process.
Requiring motorcycles TO be registered.
The foregoing amendments among 9TH
ers will be taken UP for consideration
and action by the New York state Auto
mobile Association at its annual meeting
In Utica on December IL and IL.
AS the law now stands any person over
eighteen years OF age may operate a car
which has been registered in the offlce
of the Secretary Of State, provided the
owner has given his consent and the
car is not operated for hire, in which
case a chauffeur's license is required
During the present year the automobile
has figured prominently IN a number Of
ups and the murder Of Herman Rosenthal
in New York City. Hundreds Of acct
dents have occurred throughout the state
and many complaints OF reckless driving
have been received by state and local
authorities. In the majority OF cases re-
ported the complaints cannot be effect
lively investigated and the offenders pun
ished because the present law requires
only the registration Of the car, and while
the name OF the owner may be obtained
easily that Of the operator or real Of
fender is difficult and almost impossible
TO obtain. To remedy this an amendment
is under consideration requiring all opera
tors to be licensed by the state.
Nearly all OF the states adjoining New
York have adopted such a system. In
Guiding the New England and Middle
Atlantic group, Pennsylvania excepted.
The state authorities contend that the
operator should be controlled first and
the machine afterward.
Records in the Office Of the Secretary
Of State show that since 1910. when the
present motor vehicle law went into ef-
feet, upward OF 10000 convictions for
violations of highway ordinances have
been filed, but so far as can be ascer.
tanned not one certificate OF registration
or chauheur's license has been revoked
UP to the present. The only provision In
the present law authorizing q revocation
OF an owners or chauffeur's license is
where a conviction Is previously had for
operating q car while In an intoxicated
~ L.
recommendation OF the trial court. Nu-
merous cases of conviction Of intoxicated
automobile drivers have been reported
but usually the offenders have escaped
with fine.
To increase the revenues from automo-
bile licenses change to the fiat horse
power basis. such as was adopted In the
state OF Connecticut and elsewhere, Is ad-
vocated. In New York State the registra-
ton fees are placed on a graduated basis,
varying in accordance with the horse
power OF the machine. For cars less than
rs horsepower the fee is 80 a year; Is and
less than IS, 80; So and less than 30, 316,
and 30 and over. y25. Statistics show that
more than 70 per cent of the registrations
in this state up to the present time cover
cars of less than % horsepower. The fiat
rate In Connecticut Is so cents per horse
power, and should this plan be put into
effect in New York It is computed that
nearly q quarter Of the registration fees
would be doubled and cars paying fiat
a fee in most cases would be called upon
TO pay $40 or more, while cars OF Is and
IS horsepower would be compelled to pay
IS and 80. respectively.
The present law permits localities among
other things to regulate speed. providing
the ordinance adopted by the locality 10
displayed In q conspicuous place on the
highway and copy OF the ordinance hled
in the Office of the Secretary of state. out
OF approximately 600 incorporated cities
and villages in the state only about lfO
have taken advantage OF this provision
and the enforcement OF these ordinances
has resulted in speed traps and unsaus-
factory conditions. For this reason an
amendment has been suggested that al
provisions in the law permitting the auop
ton of local ordinances regulating speed
be repealed and that localities be allowed
TO regulate merely special places, such as
parkways. as to speed. and as to hacking