Evening star., 1937-02-14
Mounting Barriers
Between States
BY FREDERIC J. HASKIN.


Constitution, individual States or COL
onies erected trade barriers against each
other. The example of New York and
New Jersey, which had tariffs. is a
conspicuous one Such cases have been
mentioned as historical curiosities and
have been cited to show what advances
were made in the freeing of interstate
commerce.
Yet nearly one quarter of the States
have, IN recent years, erected barriers
against the free movement of highway
traffic across their boundaries. There is
growing up a system of State highway
interference which resembles the Gus
toms interferences encountered all over
Europe. The traveller by highway, the
trucker of freight, find themselves
stopped at borders and, in some cases,
required to pay heavy fees to enter a
jurisdiction, or subjected to something
similar to passport visas. All this Is
happening in country which through
out most of its history has prided itself
on freedom Of movement.
1t is recognized that States may find
it necessary to establish quarantines
against diseased plants or animals or
even persons, and there is no general
objection to such a practice. But the
new barrier system. according to large
numbers of tourists and those engaged
in interstate commerce on the highways.
goes far beyond quarantines in the public
interest.
In earlier days there were many toll
roads. There still are some and there
remain a large number of toll bridges.
This system is differently based as COM
pared with what is now being done.
Companies were formed to build high
ways and maintain them. The same was
true of bridges The toll charges went
in the main to defray original construc-
ton costs and the cost of maintenance.
A service was performed for the. pay
ment exacted. The new system does not
even pretend to performance of service;
it is directed largely to the raising of
revenue by right of sovereignty even
though, in many cases. the highways
affected have been built with Federal
aid.
The American people have had good
deal of trouble in their history over
local or State patriotism. There came
the great elimination in the Civil War.
one Of the most sanguinary in world
history, and it had been thought that
the issues had been settled. But now
has developed a recrudescence of the
same old jealousies. The Supreme Court
of the United States has held that
there must be no interference with
interstate commerce by railroad but
the situation has not yet been clarified
as to highway traffic.
4 *
There seems to be a definite desire
to place obstacles in the way of persons
from other States merely for the sake
of placing them. or. so the highway users
assert. For example, Illinois has law
that a truck shall not operate on its
highways if it has a maximum length
in excess of IS feet with another IS
feet for a tractor trailer. In Indiana
the measurements are 80 and 40 feet.
respectively, with IS and 40 in Ohio But
the Kentucky law says a truck may not
exceed 2612 feet with 80 for the trailer.
So, then If the Illinois, Ohio and Indiana
trucks want to move ipto Kentucky,
they are stopped and turned back at
the border. Various States have regula-
tionS concerning the weight of trucks
permitted to operate. The regulations
are far from standard, with the result
that a truck which meets the require.
ments in one State finds its progress
stopped when crossing into another with
different rules.
An interesting case is reported from
Iowa. A farmer set forth to truck load
OF produce to st. Louis. He was required
in Iowa to carry green clearance lights.
Crossing into Missouri he was held UP
by the police and the green lights were
stripped from his truck as they were
contrary to Missouri rules They were
confiScated. On returning and crossing
again into Iowa he was compelled to
get new green clearance lights.
The cases on which evidence has been
gathered by trucking companies. auto
mobile clubs and others often seem ut
terly fantastic, Traffic jams are caused
by the holding up of vehicles for in
spection, measurements and the like.
and the loss of perishable goods has been
heavy as a result. There have been
instances of violence arising from these
border wars because the patrolmen OF
! one State find a certain satisfaction in
annoying drivers from adjoining juris-
dictions. For example, because of the
Kentucky law on long trucks, Indiana
has imposed technical requirements on
Kentucky trucks. A recent report from
the patrol department stated that it
was arresting nearly 100 per cent Of
Kentucky drivers. Sometimes fines are
imposed or heavy bonds required to be
posted.
The port of entry system has been
established in a number of Western
States. At points where highways cross
State lines, the authorities will erect
small structures which are, in effect,
sentry boxes. These are manned by
armed men. They stop all drivers. Some
States require those coming into the
State to take out local license plates
or lin transit" plates Drivers must eX-
hibit evidence of insurance coverage and,
if it is not deemed adequate. are forced
to take out special local insurance. There
are all kinds of fees and fines to be
paid.
In recent years many statesmen have
sought to travel in their own auto
mobiles. Some of the States have i'm
posed a special license tax on out of
State statesmen, although no such tax
is imposed on statesmen travelling by
train Indeed, it is said that the rail-
roads have been responsible for some
of the burdens placed on interstate COM
merce on the highways, hoping to divert
traffic to the rails. This has resulted
in situation whereby busses not owned
by railroad companies are subjected to
IL u -a-a-