The Washington herald., 1912-10-27
MOTORISTS WAX
ANGRY 1T LAWS
District Autoists FAY Maryland Ii
eense Regulations Are
Oppressive.
MUST PAY TAX HERE
AND m BORDER STATE
Conditions Denounced - Unprece.
dented-0ther States Honor
Home Tags.

District motorists are indignant at the
condition OF automobile traffic from the
District into Maryland under the present
Maryland automobile license laws and
are clamoring for q change In these
laws. The Maryland Legislature has
provided that q motorist coming into
the State from the District Of Columbia
must buy q license. but owners from
other States may como and 90 at their
will.
Not only 10 this true. say the owners
of cars in the District, but the license
rate is being boosted yearly. and has
recently received n jog from the Legis-
lature in the form Of an amendment to
the original law which will bring at least
SS 900 more from the local drivers than
last year. This matter was brought to
the attention of the Chamber OF Conn
merce some days ago. and . special
committee was named to investigate ana
report back to the Chamber.
Comparison of Charges.
In the District the charge Is e per
car. and this license runs indefinitely
In Maryland there is q graduated sale
Of taxes running from S to SIS. and
licenses run only for a year.
The old Maryland tax law. effective
till April l. set the following rates: u
for cars Of 2o-horsepower or less; $l2 for
10 or less, and SIS for those above that.
This law has been amended. however.
to the following figures. which became
effective April 4: S for 10-horsepowef
and under; 80 for eO-horsepower and UNI
der, SIS from % to 30; so from 80 to 20.
and SIS for all above that.
Maryland collected from July !. 1910,
to December 81, OF the same year, 81
$3.50. In the year 1911. sel,s4o.75 was
collected, and from January l to July 81.
1872. s2s, ,25l.64 was taken In. this making
a total Of $54.9lS-19 in two years and one
month.
oyster Makes Protest.
Protests are heard on all sides from
persons owning cars.
IT feel that the automobile owners Of
the District are being badly imposed
upon by the State Of Maryland" said
James F. Oyster, president OF the Cham
Der Of Commerce. last night. 1T 10 q
crying injustice. Why, a motorist can't
cross a foot over the State line without
being jerked up and made to pay fine
or buy a license"
IT. too, think there should be an ad-
justment Of conditions said C.. c.
Glover, president Of the Riggs National
Bank 1.-THE present system 10 unjust
and needs immediate attention"
"Unprecedented Condition"
1.-THE condition that exists between the
State of Maryland and the owners Of
cars in the District is unprecedented.
said lie Roy Mark. vice president OF the
Touring Club Of America. There is not
another State in the Union that will
not honor the license of another
State or Territory. You can 60 from
Maine TO California on any State license.
Every State permits reciprocity except
Maryland, and even IN turn for the tax
required We OF the District have yet to
see a good road in Maryland in the VI
cinity of Washington"
The irate automobilists call to witness
the figures given above as the proof of
the injustice being done them. and re-
mark that these exorbitant rates are ex-
elusive of the toll exacted by the con-
stables of the surrounding counties.
The general impression The Herald re-
reived from interviews with the gentle |
men interested was that the District au-
thorities should do something to remedy
the present annoying and uncalled-for
conditions, and at once. 1t is clearly |
up to some one to take steps immedi- |
ately so that a remedy can be found
before the 1913 licenses are Issued.