Evening star., 1914-02-20
Discusses Relations.

Maryland. of which Mr. Yelott is a
member and counsel
Discusses Relations.
Mr.. fellott's report. which was pre-
sented to the Maryland legislature. now
in session at Annapolis. goes deeply into
the question of relations between the
state of Maryland and the District of
Columbia, as regards reciprocity in the
matter of courtesies to automobilists-
The commission appointed by Gov. Colds
borough to draft a traffic law to be sub
mitted to the legislature has also recon-
mended in its report that the discrimina-
ton against District motorists in regard
to regiStraton. license fees. etc. be abol-
iShed. Mr. IelIott report. in part, fol-
lows:
Prior to the year 1910 all non-resi-
dent owners of automobiles We're required
to register them with the secretary of
state. and pay the same fee for regis
tration as was charged the resident own
Ell. During that period registration was
required merely for Identification in case
OF accident or violation of the motor
vehicle laws, and only nominal fees for
registration were charged One dollar
was charged under act of 1894, and s:
under an act of 1906. the charges in both
instances not being annual. but being
good for the life of The car.
Laws Of Other States.
Even as far back as 1896 many of the
states of the Union had laws permitting
| non-residents to come into the same with
out paying the state registration fee. ol
using the state registration tags. pro
Sided they displayed the registration tas
OF their home state. Consequently, 4
strong effort was made by the Auto
mobile Club of Maryland to have such d
provision inserted in the new law adopted
in 1906 but these efforts were unsuccess-
fuI In 1909 Gov. Crothers appointed a
commission to draft a new motor vehicle
law. and the bill prepared by this COM
mission exempted all non-residents from
paying the registration fee provided for
therein. permitting all such non-residents
to come into this state upon the same
terms as motorists from this state were
permitted to go into certain other states.
"One of the amendments made in the
Senate was that the word state" should
not be taken to embrace the District of
Columbia in the section of the law au-
thorizing such reciprocal rela The
effect of this amendment. and of the law
as passed, was to require all District of
Columbia owners to pay the Maryland
registration fee as condition of coming
into this state.
Was Discrimination.
This was a manifest discrimina lion
against residents of the District of CO.
lurnbia, but was thought to be justified
on the ground that residents of the Dis
trict used and damaged our roads in the
counties adjacent to the same and should
be made to contribute toward The cost
OF their maintenance.
BY the act of 1910 the registration
fees were raised from s.: on All ears.
good for the life of the car. to ST. per
year for each motor vehicle of less than
twenty horsepower. 81: per year for one
of more than twenty horsepower and less
than forty horsepower and SIS per year
for one of more than forty horsepower The
usual charge was 81: per year, and this
was the charge paid by the majority of
residents of the District who caused thei.
motor vehicles to be registered in this
state
Meanwhile the District OF Columbia
charged residents Of Maryland only a
nominal registration fee of 81. good for
the life Of the car.
Fees Are Raised.
BY chapter 1;s; Of the acts of 1871.
these registration fees We're raised to IS
per year for each motor vehicle with a
rating of ten horsepower or less. $40 per
year for one with rating of more than
ten horsepower and not more than
twenty horsepower, 81, per Year for one
with a rating OF more than twenty horse
power and not more than thirty horse
power $40 per year for one with a rating
of more than thirty horsepower and not
more than forty horsepower and Sa5 per
wear for one with rating of NOR. than
forty horsepower. The usual fee paid by
residents of the District under this law
was $1o per year.
The residents of the District Of Co
lumhia regarded this discrimination
against them as most unjust. and the re
suit was that in January, 1913, the Com
missionerS of the District of Columbia
passed a retaliatory order requiring that
while the residents of the District and OF
any of the states of the Union. other
than Maryland. might register their
motor vehicles for 81, good for the
life of the car. residents of MARYLAND
should paw the same registration fees as
we're charged residents Of the District by
the state of Maryland, from IS to So per
year
The result of this order was that mo-
torists of this state were practically pre-
vented from going into the District ana
very few of our people took out District
licenses.
Order Finally Revoked.
consequently the Automobile CLUB of
MARYLAND took this matter up with the
Commissioners of the District and after
promising that il would use its best ef
forts to bring about the repeal of the dis
crimjnarory feature Of our law against
the District finally succeeded in July
1o13 In having the Commissioners revoke
their retaliatory order passed in January.
I'VE respectfully submit that this is a
matter which should not require arsu-
ment in a state whose people have the
Ec:s..Ir,.ad al, .rhirtaenth Paxo