Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1917-08-03
Back Up Chairman Zouck And Mr..
Baughman.
From the Baltimore Sun.

=
Baughman.
From the Baltimore Sun.
There is>one thing with regard to which
the representatives of Maryland and the
people of Maryland should get busy at
once. And that is in opposition to the
Adamson bill. now pending in Congress,
winch would wipe out the Maryland license
charges upon District of Columbia motorists
using Maryland roads, fthis license charge
should be eliminated. Maryland's available
revenue for the upkeep of its road system
would be lessened by $50. 900 year. The
proposition in the Adamson bill is pre-
sented under guise of reciprocity between
Maryland and District of Columbia mo-
torlsts-that is, to allow District motorists
to use the Maryland roads without obtain
ing Maryland license and to allow Mary
land motorists to use the Washington
streets without obtaining District license.
This looks fair on the surface, but, in
point of fact, it is essentially unfair, and
would work great hardship to this State.
1t is absolutely different in effect, If not in
principle, from reciprocity in this matter
between States, because for one thing in
terstate travel does not represent the same
volume of travel or the same habitual
travel as that which comes daily into Mary
land from the District. Geographically for
mDt0r he 10 nd
territory. Unless he remains in the small
area in which he lives the District motorist
has nowhere else to drive il he does not
cross into Maryland He might run down
into Virginia. but he prefers Maryland.
because of our fine roads. Considered as
motorist he is, to all intents and purposes.
Marylander. and there is no reason why
he should ask exemption from the Obliga-
ton to help maintain the roads he uses
almost every day in the week. So far as
the State of Maryland is concerned it does
not ask for the reciprocity which the Adam
son bill proposes. If Maryland motorists
60 to Washington on business or pleasure,
they should pay the local motor charge as
they pay their hotel and other bills. There
may be few OF them who are in favor of
reciprocity" that is mainly one-sided
and which would greatly increase our road
burdens. but they do not voice public or
State sentiment they speak only for them
selves.
The State and the city authorities, and
all citizens in town or country who are
interested in our good roads system should
get together without delay and back up
Chairman ZOuck and Commissioner Baugh-
man in their determined fight against a
measure which would tend to deprive us
Of just source of revenue. And our Sena-
tors and Representatives in Congress should
actively cooperate in the defeat Of piece
of legislation which for some unknown
reason seems to be a particular pet of Mr..
AdamsOn.
The mere reciprocity clause is bad enough,
but there is another, as Mr.. Baughman
pointed out in The Sun Saturday. under
which the whole Maryland system Of motor
licensing. which yields the State about
$685. 900 year. might be made to suffer
seriously. This section provides that "any
Senator. Representative. official or any
other person temporarily located in the
District of Columbia, but retaining citizen
ship in State. may. at the option Of such
person. comply either with the laws and
regulations of such State or with the regu-
lations in force in the District of Columbia"
Commissioner Baughman and Chairman
Zouck hold that under this section any Mary
and motorist could easily evade payment of
the Maryland license charge. and Attorney
General Richie agrees with them that il
contains possibilities Of great danger and
abuse. II may not have been intended as
temptation to Marylanders. Ii is more
likely that it was expected to enlist in
support of the measure Congressman and
Senators who want to use Maryland roads
at the smallest possible cost. We do not
believe that many of them are open to so
small bride and we are sure that few of
them will lend themselves to this legisla-
ton simply to save few dollars.
Maryland has become one Of the model
good roads States Of the Union. Her roads
are not only an invaluable asset to her
own people. but they are stimulating OBJ
ject-lessons to the whole country. 1t is to
the interest of every Congressman that
nothing should be done to discourage other
States from following her example. that
the millions which Maryland has invested
in these improvements should not be jeop-
ardized or threatened. The District of
Columbia motorists would have as much
reason as anybody else to regret the dete-
roration OF our roads, One thing for Mary
land auto owners to remember is that IL
District motorists do not have TO pay for
using Maryland roads. Maryland motorists
will probably have to pay the present
charge for them. We must have the
$4,000 which we now get from the Dis
trict. and should we have TO raise ii in
some other way the natural object Of this
additional taxation would be Maryland
motor vehicles. AS matter Of self-in-
terest. as well as local patriotism, there
fore, we advise all Maryland motor owners
to unite in defending the State from Mr..
Adamson's attempt to put an unfair bur
den on us.
Rural Carrier Examination.