El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-12-25

recrossing states lines. automobile own
ers are not receiving with any vast en-
thuslasm the proposal that thew shall
pay again substantially in the cost OF
war preparedness.
What may accentuate their dissent
from once more being singled out is
that IN many states owners now nav
three taxes; For registration Of the car.
operating license for its driving and
also under the head OF personal prop
erty. In Mississippi and Ohio the state
supreme courts decided that 1t was un-
constitutional to tax an automobile
owner for registration in excess of the
clerical cost of the issuing of the
Identification number. as he was al
ready paying under the head of per-
sonsl property New Jerseys courts
decided that more than one tax could
be imposed, and other state courts have
ruled FariOusly. Because of the con-
flicting opinions, the American Auto
mobile association carried the New Jer-
sey case to the United States supreme
next few months.
Vigorous Protests.
communications by post and wire
from clubs and individuals to the na-
tional headquarters of the American
Automobile association in Washington
indicates a practically unanimous in
clination 10 protest emphatically
against this latest effort to single out
the motorist as a special road user and
disregard the thousands Of horse drawn
vehicles
Incidentally. it is estimated that some
five million acres are necessary to raise
reed for the several million horses in
the country. The substitution of We
hicles using gasoline and electricity
would release all this acreage and di-
vert yer, the labor engaged in its filling TO
the needs OF humans
Why the lawmakers should pick ont
gasoline and petroleum products and
automobiles as the particular things on
which to place a special tax when ne
troleum products have become an alb
IN the industry of the country. and the
automobile itself has proved to be the
greatest factor in economic transpor-
tation IN recent years. is q source Of
unconcealed surprise TO motor car own
ers.
Both the automobile and its cost in
creasing fuel are included in the rev
enue producing plans put forward by
leaders m congress. and it is cOnserva-
lively estimated that not less than from
s2O,OOO'OOO 10 SS0.O00,O00. and perhaps
more, would be obtained from the own
ers OF the 100000 motor vehicles now
in use in the United States
No Tax Horses.
For years people have employed
horse drawn vehicles for utility and
TO tax the owners of these vehicles.
other than through the usual channels
II raising revenue.
But from the moment the automobile |
hove in sight it seemed to possess A
magnetic attraction to those who be-
leve any innovation should call for
Encouragement rather than helm
Thousands of dollars were swallowed
lp in the production of the first auto !
mobiles True il was that in the early |
lays Of the motor driven vehicle own !
srship was limited to q comparatively l
mall number and these were people Of 4
means who really paid the price of the !
sarly experimenting OF the builders. .
dany OF those pioneer machines were
expensive and unreliable and il was 4
Necessary to improve their making to I
! great extent before the automobile |
anne into general use That day is 1
ar behind for the automobile has com
'letely entered into every modern !
'hase OF human existence. Another tax
means that people in moderate circlln-
tances, and comparatively small prop
rty owners. viii pay the greater part
4 the taxation suggested in connection !
With the war preparedness plan.