The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1922-03-02
AUTO LICENSE LAW
ASSAlLED TUESDAY

The automobile license laws and the
existing system of applying rules
adopted by the recent special session
of the legislature by the Public Ser.
vice Corporation came in for severe
criticism at the meeting of the Tues
day Lunch club, when an address was
delivered by A. V. Hemmlng, secre-
tary of the Oregon Motor Vehicle
| League.
Mr.. Hemming declared that Oregon
now stands in the forefront of all
states of the Union for freak motor
license laws. License fees, he said,
are 20 per cent higher than elsewhere
He declared the weight system of Ii
censing automobiles no more equitable
than If buildings were taxed by the
cubic foot.
"W hen we we're being asked to vote
bonds for good roads, said Mr.. Hem
ming, 1--WE were painted an appealing
picture of how the roads would not
merely be for the passenger vehicle but
now they would enable the farmer to
reach the city with his produce We
were told that an ideal condition would
soon prevail. Ii is indeed ideal since
the special session of the legislature.
The farmers truck is being ruled off
the highway by eXorbitant license
fees.
Mr.. Hemming criticised city councils
for applying heavy license fees for
truckmen and livery automobiles.
Oregon City, he says, has a $40 fee
and Eugene has set it at S.. Other
city councils, Mr.. Hemming declared.
are sitting up at night with their city
attorneys devising means of securing
this revenue. 1T is like the Baron
Robbers of old. he declared.
Mr.. Hemming attacked the recently
adopted law because Of alleged injus-
tce of its provisions. The heaviest
trucks that now use the roads, he said,
are operated by the Standard Oil Co
These trucks, with their tanks full he
said, weigh an approximate % 900 |
Yet they do not have to give any
bonds or paw any heavy excess license !
or registration fees. because they are /
not operated for hire.
MIR. Hemming declared that the Ore |
gOn road bond laws were inequltable |
from the standpoint that posterity |
should not be made to pay for high |
ways that will be destroyed before /
arrives. He declared that /
modern suTfaCing on Oregon highways /
was flimsy, when it should be built |
more substantially.
I'VE must not try TO make a record
for the number of miles of this flimsy
road, said Mr.. Hemming, but we
must construct roads that will stand
any kind of traffic.
MIR. Hemming stated that his organ
ization is working not merely in the
interest of trucking and livery bus
owners but for the owners Of light
as we'll He declared that
the new license laws we're killing the
sales Of heavy cars this season.
Mr.. Hemming stated that the cars
would be taxed under a property levy
+ left IN garages. and that the license
lee would be charged later, if the ma
,hines are operated.
An interesting story was told by s.
= Bartmess. who was chairman of the
Meeting, held at the Columbia Gorge
iOtel. l,
Il had 10 send checks to the Secre- /
ary Of State three times before get
ing my license. " said Mr.. Bartmess. ,
When I applied the third time. enclos-
ne check for NY hearse alone, ! was !
old that theV would have 20 test the [
AT for hauling 3 ton load. ] referred {
hem 70 manufacturers from whom ] {
ad purchased They wrote me that !
uch data would not suffice. and had
o go down e. a builders and load ton =
{ cement into my hearse ard dem n
trate that it was tn vehicle. This
stisied the officials. and ] was finally
ranted my license.
The meeting was made exceedingly
leasaUt by vocal solos by Mrs. p. S
davidson. who was accompanied By
ifss Sarah Howes az the piano. Their q
snditions received an ovation. q
The next meeting will be IN charge o
o. c. Hughes st TIE Pheasant. q