The Morris County Chronicle

THE EDITOR
The Civic Association and Autos.
Tribute to Mr. Jardine.
Beware of Flies.

TIMELY TOPICS PRESENTED.

Morristown, April 25, 1906.

EDITOR OF THE CHRONICLE:

I am told that criticism has been expressed at the attitude taken by the Civic Association in favor of the new automobile law. If this is so, I believe it is because the position of that association, in this matter, is not understood.

At a meeting held in February, the great and increasing annoyance to the public under the present law was fully considered and a committee appointed to favor some bill providing (1) for a further regulation of speed in towns, and (2) for the arrest without warrant of those who violate the law.

The most reasonable measure before the legislature embodying these provisions was the Frelinghuysen bill, and therefore the association favored its passage, and worked to that end, at the same time doing all in its power to secure amendments making the bill less extreme in certain particulars.

Space will not permit of a discussion of the bill in detail. One of its unreasonable provisions which we opposed was that no machine should travel, when passing a horse going in the same direction, at a rate exceeding one mile in seven minutes. This has now been changed to fifteen miles per hour, a figure surely liberal enough, perhaps too liberal. The maximum speed allowed under the new law in the open country is the same as heretofore.

The special committee appointed by the Civic Association for this work has been active and untiring, and its efforts have been appreciated at Trenton, as appears in the following letter from Mr. Frelinghuysen addressed to the Secretary of that committee:

"I beg to thank you for your kind letter of April 14th, congratulating me upon the passing of the automobile bill. Please allow me to extend to you congratulations and thanks for the great work which you did in assisting in its passage. When I have such strong men and good citizens back of me as the Morristown Civic Association, I feel that justice and right have prevailed through the influence of my friends."

The bill as passed will not please all. Some will criticise it as too strict and others as too lenient. We believe, however, that it will be a great improvement over the present law, the provisions of which proved so difficult of enforcement as to be practically useless; and we further believe that under this new act much of the danger and annoyance to the public generally will be eliminated without undue restrictions to the reasonable use of automobiles.

THOMAS W. CAULDWELL
Pres. Morristown Civic Ass'n.