The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1916-06-08
TAKES JUVENILES
out OF DRIVERS
SEAT IN AUTO
Proposed Bill Says None I'm
der Ia Years Shall Drive
in the City. -
LET'S HAVE SAFETY
FIRST, SAYS MAYOR
might Just as Well Make Rail-
road Engineers of Boys"
He Declares.

A bill prohibiting children under ID
years of age from driving automobiles
of any kind within the city limits will
be introduced at the meeting of the
City Council Monday night, and it is
believed the measure will receive the
unanimous vote of the Council.
The ordinance creating the new
automobile law is being drafted by
City Counselor o. A. Knehans under
instructions from Mayor Rage and the
measure will be offered to the Council
as part of the Mayors safety first"
program with respect to automobile
traffic.
A penalty clause will be attached to
the ordinance and the city administra-
ton intends to enforce the law through
the police Immediately after its pas
sage.
In discussing the legal aspect Of
the ordinance taking the juvenile driv-
ers out of the seats of automobiles,
both Mayor Rage and Mr.. Knehans
declared that nowhere in the State
statutes is there anything dealing di-
rectly with the age qualification for
drivers Of private car or truck.
Under the State law a man must be
Is years old before he may obtain a
license to become a chauffeur and be
permitted to operate a public convey
ance or jitney bus. No ruling, how
ever, has been made with respect to
the age of drivers for privately owned
autos.
There is no law in contradiction"
the Mayor declared, "that ever has
been pointed out to me, and see no
reason why we cannot initiate the
Legislation here in the Cape.
There is just as much sense in let
ting a child under ID years of age
drive an automobile as there would
be in putting him into the cab Of one
of our fast passenger trains and risk
ing the lives of all those on the train
to his Judgment, his hand and nerve.
"The driver of a machine on the
street must feel the responsibility not
only Tor those in his own car but like
wise for those on the street; and, in
my opinion, it becomes matter of
publ, duty for the city to safeguard
the walking public by at least placing
automobiles in the hands Of drivers
Of little more judgment and mature
age.
at has been q matter of personal
observation with me that many cars
are being run on our streets by boys
too young to have full conception Of
the powers of the engine under their
control. l have seen some delivery
cars run by boys who, if they are not
under the age limit the ordinance pro-
poses, are very close to the line"
An ordinance providing for the
repeal of the fire insurance company
OCCUPATION tax also has been prepared,
which will outline a general revision
upward in the merchant licenses in
the Cape. The present merchant Ii
censes will be raised about 10 per cent
all around, it is forecasted, and an
adjustment made in the fire insurance
tax.
Fire insurance agents in this city
now pay a license of $40 year to do
business, and each of the companies
operating here pay an occupation tax
of $25 a year.
The $40 blanket license for the agent
and the $25 occupation tax will be cut
out and in their stead will be placed
tax of $40 for each fire insurance
company doing business in the city,
charged against the agent represent
ing the company here. II man rep
resents two companies he pays $50 a
year; if 10 companies, he pays 500.
The terms of this ordinance will be
carefully gone over by the Council on
Monday night.