The Washington times., 1925-08-27
Speed Traps and Maryland's
Fee System
By BILL PRICE

It not often that Maryland towns resort to wholesale
of passing motorists who may be volaors or near
voators Of State local traffic regulations ana wnen tny
do i'll feeling is certain to follow.
The washington office of the American Automobile Assoca
tOn, having been unable to ca OH speed Trap 1Or
enng that this small town be boycotted by
of fines imposed for speeding and other alleged Of
lenses.
The arrests made by deputies Of Sheriff Howard
of Charles county, trials have taken place before
local justice Of the who has not hesated TO apply m
fines in practically every instance
Maryland traffic police have apparently taken part in
the arrests although they frequent the vicinity where motor
lists have found themselves trapped by deputies who wear
uniforms do indicate except by the presence OF ps
tolls strapped to their waists they officers of the law
The affa has turned into wordy between the A. A. A.
and Maryland sheriff. who retor that ne afraid to
come to Washington because Of the labyrinth OF traffic
laws in this city and that all Of the District Of Columbia is
r there should be any boycott Of the Charles county
zion of MARYLAND by motorists viii be keenly felt by bust
ness men and others Waldorf is Of the principal towns
between Washington and the salt water resorts along the
Potomac Patuxent Chesapeake bay Thousands
Of motorists travel that way and leave many hundreds Of
thousands dollars annually at the various places they
70 Attract more visitors because for their prosperity
When petty officials Of the law undertake TO make things
uncomfortable for travellers there is diversion to other
There be said however, Many motorists come to
regard the people Of the small towns ey pass through
Gus speeding the citizens Of these small communities be-
come aroused it. The lives Of their wives and children
and of themselves precious those OF city people
They don't like the idea Of being held in disrepect They
finally complain sheriff county constables and
are wholesale arrests numbers Of them unustied
In the Waldorf cases. for instance the justice OF the peace
reported to have resented remarks to him by motorists
and retorted by heavily increasing the fines
Traffic violations should not be handled IN these rural
regions by constabs and deputy she They come under
the State traffic police but the State traffic force is small
unable to give the protection that rural communities
are entitled to.
The antiquated system in Maryland ought to be done
away with Justices Of the peace ccnsables and deputy
shers paid fee basis with the sheriff sharing the
profits This kind Of system does not make for proper
forcement Of laws The fees it is true quite small and do
pay constabes deputies to waste their time In arrests
unless they wholesale SCALE just such as took place
at Waldorf
has little incentive ferret crimes make arrests the
small tempt minor official to quit his regular
make Investigations requiring time and patience The
sheriff has to be called in He is often long away from
the place Of the crime and has other things to do
The people Of the rural sections Of Maryland deserve better
protection than they get under the fee system This notably
so in thriving communities adjacent to this city.
The fee system not only often works injustice but works
against justice being done when most important that law
and order should be upheld.
Sheriff Towards about the multiplicity Of traffic
Laws basis laws enforced with
mparaty and fee basis Our traffic officers do not
profit financially by arrests they make.
This newspaper has several times pointed out that park
regulations should be far liberal than they during
business hours in the city inducement to Maryland
people here and trade In these southern Maryland
counties thousands Of people who machines and we
ought to make parking regulations enough to attract