The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1917-07-28
STATE ROAD COMMISSION
OPPOSES ADAMSON LAW
License Fees For District of Co.
Iumbja.

Dear Sir:
There has been introduced in Con
gress bill. known as the AdamSon
Bill. which is the same one that APP
peared in the spring OF 1916. This
bill has for its purpose the abolish
ment of the license fees charged the
residents OF the District of Columbia
by the State of Maryland for the
privilege of using its roads.
Last year we received from Wash
ington licenses $50, 6,9SS.76 for pneu-
matte tire vehicles. and S3,0SS.5O
for solid tire vehicles or trucks. .mak-
ing Il total of $90.077.26. We shall
eXpend $780, 900 this year in main
tanning he roads in the TWO counties
bordering on the District of Column
bia, ana the Washington Boulevard
The money received from the au
tomobile licenses Is the only money
which We receive to maintain our
State road system. the Legislature of
1916 having removed the one cent
States tax, which was formerly appli-
ed to the maintenance of State
roads. If we are TO be deprived of
the revenue collected from the Wash
ington cars. it will seriously embar-
rass this Commission. When the one
cent State tax was removed, ii was
thought that the revenue from the
automobile licenses would amount to
sufficient to take care of our main
tenance, but we find that we are
running behind at the rate of about
100000 or more, per year, and if
the Adamson Law goes into effect, it
will increase our deficit another
500. 900, making a total of $780,
600, or more, per annum. In view
of the increased cost of material, la
Dor, etc, and the increased amount
of traffic which will pass over our
roads because of the war, it will be
| utterly impossible for us to maintain
! our roads as we have in the past.
| When the automobile tax license
; was first levied we did not have
more than five miles of State roads.
! The charge for licenses has been
| gradually reduced notwithstanding G
( the fact that the State road system
! has been extended until it now COM
prises about 800 miles of modern
roads. By dividing the amount OF
! money received by the number of Ii
censes issued. it is found that the
State of Maryland is receiving an av-
! erage of about Sc to 81 per year for
each license or car which is usin e
our roads. at cost to the motOrist
| of only about one-half cent per MIKE
of road per year.
The District of Columbia is sur
rounded on three sides by the State
OF Maryland and on the other side by
Virginia. Maryland has built Il
! State and State-Aid roads to the Dis
! tricJ line The State of Virginia has
! not built even one. This comparison
/ is not made to criticise Virginia, but
, only to show that Maryland has been
extremely generous to the District of
! Columbia. The only improved roads
| entering the District from Virginia
were built by the Government or by
| private enterprise and upon which
toll-gates have heen placed. ..-1z
The taxpayers of Maryland have
made it possible for the automobil-
lists of the District of Columbia to
/ have intercourse with the other
! States of the Union over modern i'm
| proved roads.
Maryland has reciprocity with ev-
! cry State and territory within the
! United States, which extends to our
State the same privilege and the use
! of their many miles of road, but We
! think it is unfair to allow the same
privilege to the District of Columbia,
which has only a small number OF
miles OF thickly travelled streets to
! offer in return. However, any men,
/ Der of Congress or temporary resi-
/ dent of the District of Columbia who
| has complied with the autom obile
/ laws of his own State may use the
/ Maryland roads, unmolestad, by dis
playing his home license.
The taxpayers of Maryland have
willingly contributed the S24,000,-
900, including the $5,000.000. spent
upon Baltimore city streets and the
Hanover Street Bridge, which has
! been necessary to complete its mod
ern system of State and State-Aid
roads, but with our maintenance
cost, as we'll as our maintenance de-
felt, increasing, and with our tax
rate, increasing each year, 1T is
doubtful, to my mind, whether they
will allow the deficit to mount high
er and higher, as it will if We are
not to receive the revenue derived
from the District of Columbia licen,
seS. If the maintenance of oul
roads is to continue. money must be
raised in some way. There are only
three methods known, namely, first
direct taxation, second, licenses, anc
third, toll-gates. The Legislature
eliminated the first, and an effort i:
now being made to eliminate the sec
ond, and if the efforts are successful
it does not require an imaginative
mind to forsee what will confron
the travelling public in the future
which | think everyone will agree
will be deplorable.
This is a serious matter to th'
State of Maryland, and l hope tha
Congress will see the justice Of ou
asking it not to pass the above-men
toned bill.
Very truly yours,
FRANK H. ZOUCK,