Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-09-10
HOW ABOUT YOUR.
AUTO L|CENSE?.
SpeciaY State Agent Has Been i'm De-
cOrah the Past Week Cheeky
Up Car Owners Who HavSk
Not Paid Their 1919
Auto Licenses Yet
MACHINES WILL BE
SOLD TO PAY TAX
The Law Puts Motor Cars in the
Same Class as Other Property
and Offenders May be Fined
i'm Addition


Machines may be sold to pay tax.
Warning issued by State Agent
working in Winneshiek county
Law puts motor cars in same class
as other property.
Offenders subject to heavy penalty
in addition.
During the last week, the State
Agent has been working in and
about Decorah and other points in
Winneshiek county, rounding up the
delinquent automobile owners. There
are still great many people who
are running their autoes> without
having made application for license.
The state is now making a special
effort to clean up all delinquent auto
matters and to make sure that none
are overlooked, the State Agent Is
working in connection with the
County Attorneys Office to round up
all delinquents. The State agent has
spent considerable time going over
the records, and has conferred with
the marshal and deputy sheriff, and
all delinquents who are found upon
investigation, who have failed to
send in their money for the 1919
license, will find that their car will
be sold according to law, the same as
delinquent property is. That means
that the title to the car will pass to
the new, owner and the former auto
owner will be without a car. About
so cars have been. tagged on the
streets here with notice to appear
before the County Attorney.
There is no question but that there
are few people who have applied
for their license in good faith, but
up to this time have not received
their number plates. This fact should
be reported to the County Attorney.
People who have complied with the
law are entitled to due consideration,
but those who ignore the iaw abso-
1utely and openly run their cars with
old number plates, or without plates
are subject to prosecution, as the
: law provides heavy fine In addit-
ion to the penalty for the overdue
license.
n Number plates carried around in
the rear seat or left at home on the
shelves of the garage would be no
defense if the violator should be
taken in hand. The owner of the
car must suspend his license plates
in accordance with law, one plate on
the rear of the car, and one at the
front, but one license plate does ncl
answer the purpose.
If plate has been lost, the owner
should make application for duplf>
cate, which costs so cents.
Where a second hand car has been
bought, the new owner should, at
once, secure a transfer blank. No
signature is required as to the old
owner. The new owner simply gives
the name of the old owner, the fac
tory number and the license number,
signs the same and has IL sworn to
before Notary Public. This should
be sent to the Secretary OF State and
followed with remittance of $1.00.
The records show that great many
old cars have been sold and resold
without any transfers having been
made, and because of this fact, there
has been some difficulty in locating
cars, but the State Agent is singing
them out one by one.
Car owners should realize the fac;
that the license is in the nature OF
a tax, and that it becomes due, on
January 1st. and that the owners
are permitted to make returns up to
April 1st. without paying the penalty
If not paid by April 1st, ten pei
cent penalty is added for April and
five per cent for each succeeding
month until paid. In addition to this
if the car owner has not paid the
license fee, he is subject to penalty
for running without license.
According to Attorney, ]. A, Mel
son, there will still be few days o.
grace allowed for deliAquents IL
which to pay the license fee ant
penalty without having the. cars solo
by the sheriff. He has in his office ;
list Sf all delinquents, and the ca
owner\ should himself know, whether
or notShe has complied with the law
in applying for license for 1919
If he haAnot he should make arrange
ments immediately to pay the Coun
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