Evening star. [volume], May 17, 1925, Page 6, Image 64

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

Image provided by: Library of Congress, Washington, DC

                
6
safe: Motors an a Motoring
National Fight on Gasoline
Tax Is W aged by Motorists
Ohio and Chicago Motor Clubs Leading
Bodies in Movement for Flat Rate
System Like California Expedient.
B\ WILLIAM ILLMAN.
There are dark clouds on the horizon
ts the gasoline tax.
This is the impression one gathers
from an analysis of the gas tax as
inade by experts on the subject.
On one hand there are predictions
the effect that the gas tax is justi
fiable and that it will soon be found in
every State. But. on the other hand,
several of the most influential motor
clubs in the country have taken a
definite stand against it, while many
motorists and oflioials are actively en
gaged not only in preventing a further
spread of this form of taxation but in
effecting repeals of present laws that
lnake it possible. '
Perhaps no State taxation in the
history of the Union has spread so
rapidly, ilnemies of the gas tax con
tend that this very fact proves that
not sufficient judgment has been exer
cised by tlie authorities and the car
owners. ' ’
California represents the States most
favorable to the tax. but it is also
one of the few States that have suc
ceeded in supplementing the tax with
a flat-rate motor vehicle registration
fee. The tax of 2 cents per gallon of
gas in California’ lias at this writing
every chance of being increased to 3
rents. Nearly 75 per cent of the vot
ing members of the California State
.Automobile Association have approved
Senator’s Breed’s amended lull in
creasing tlie present gasoline tax 1
cent per gallon.
This is one side of the story. On
the other side we have the Ohio State
-Automobile Association and the Chi
cago Motor Club fighting the tax ‘as
no chibs have ever fought before.
Their fight against the gas tax. more
over. is supported by many lawyers
and taxation experts.
By reason of sound and construc
tive arguments presented by officials
of the Dallas Automobile Club, more
over. Texas motorists recently suc
ceeded in securing the failure of two
bills introduced in the State Legisla
ture providing for gas taxes of 2%
cents and 3 cents per gallon, respec
tively.
California motorists are said to be
among tlie few who fully appreciate
the effect of the gas tax. At least,
tlie California motoring public is
abreast of the situation. The flat rate
system of §3 for a license has supple
mented tlie tax in tlie Golden State,
and every penny the tax nets is ap
plied to the building and maintenance
of good roads—so per cent of the tax
going back to the counties and the
remainder going to the State highway
maintenance fund.
California motorists prefer the "pay
as-you-go” plan, hut enemies of the
tax point out that the cent increase
has been offered to the motorists of
that State as the only way of avoiding
an increased registration fee or a new
Weight tax.
Is Tax a Blind?
Is the gas tax a huge blind? Are
motorists falling into it because a few
cents per gallon seems like a lot less
than an annual registration fee ex
pressed in dollalfftf/vis the’gastax’ tilt
old policy of "sdffk the man who owns
ft ear" done up in a new package?
The trouble appears to be that in
most States car owners haven't really
thought about it. Connecticut was
one of the. first States to adopt this
new form of taxation. Recently the
commissioner of motor’ vehicles out
lined plans for increasing the tax and
reducing the amount of the annual
vegistration.fee to a flat figure. The
plan was killed. The legislators would
hate none of it. Connecticut is be
hind in its highway funds and its
roads are badly in need of major
repairs.
WHEN BETTER AUTOMOBILES
ARE BUILT, BUICX
WILL BUILD THEM
es tlons
docs
Buick use a one-piece front
axle?
a twcri
For safety and strength
and care-free service. The
Buick type is a one-piece,
drop - forged I-beam.
There are no brazed or
welded parts to break off.
In case of accident it can
be easily straightened
without the necessity of
replacement. You can
depend on a Buick axle.
STANLEY H. HORNER
BETAIt." DEALEn
1015 14th Street Main 5296
Why does the Connecticut Legisla
ture not favor an adoption of the
California plan, particularly since
Connecticut was a pioneer with the
gas tax idea? Several explanations
have been advanced, but the usual an
swer is that if the State needs the
money for road building and if the
car owner is to pay for it. why go to
the expense of adopting new methods
of getting it?
Why fool the motorist? is the blunt
way in which others have put it.
The money has to he raised some
how. and whether it is raised annu
ally or in daily dribs makes little dif
ference so long as the principle re
mains thq same. The motorist pays.
What the Ohio State Automobile
Association is trying to impress upon
the officials of Ohio is that the gas
tax is only another way of imposing a
tax .upon a class of people—aptomo
bile owners—who are already paying
more than their fair share of the ex
cessive tax burdens of government.
Ohio Club Fighting.
The Ohio club sets off some addi
tional fireworks by insisting that ex
isting tax levies will produce funds
adequate for all actual needs of gov
ernment if economically administered.
In this connection it is important to
note a statement by the motor vehicle
commissioner of Connecticut with re
spect to increasing the gas tax while
reducing tlie registration fees to an
adjusted flat rate. He says that the
projected new method is not a plan to
raise moj'e money, "but to determine
whether a more equitable method can
be devised for its collection and to
save administration costs by providing
a simpler and easier method for regis
tration.”
That the Connecticut Legislature
does not favor a complete swing to
the gas tax basis is taken by many to
indicate either of two' things—the
present method of employing a large
staff in order to take care of registra
tion proceedings is desired for political
reasons, or the collection of fees un
der a more extensive gas tax system,
plus flat-rate registration, would not
effect desired economies.
The Ohio club further objects to the
tax on the ground that it imposes on
the small car owner a burden that is
out of proportion, the club apparently
appreciating the fact that no State in
the Union has as yet considered the
fact that the consumption of gas per
car bears no direct relation to actual
road use as determined by mileage.
A fourth objection is raised on the
theory that the tax is expensive to
collect, thus increasing the horde of
tax-collecting and tax-spending offi
cials of the State.
The Chicago Motor Club is fighting
the gas tax because it believes that it
has been lopted in other States only
because the people have had no say in
the matter or because local conditions
made it imperative to raise road build
ing funds somehow. The club urges
motorists to remember that they are
paying so much for good roads, poli
tics, extravagance, and smeh
whether they pay it in dribs or all-in
a lump. Motorists who and paying
taxes on the installment plan say that,
as usual, it is the most expensive way.
The Missouri Oil Men’s Association
maintains that the tax. and particu
larly its variation, is affecting the oil
business, one Missouri station losing
60 per cent of its trade when that
State recently adopted the tax. At
present the gax tax in Arkansas is 4
cents a gallon; in Indiana, 3 cents,
and in Utah. cents.
(Copyrisht. 1925.)
Greater Values Win
„ Greatest Popularity
It is obvious that the new good Maxwell offers extraor-
V dinary advantages not to be found in any other four.
\ On no other grounds can you account for the car’s out*
\ standing and ever-increasing popularity. It is a preferred
XirFlj investment among fours because—in a word—it offers
the greatest value in its field.
Finer performance accounts for a large measure of these
greater values. You can hit 58 miles an hour and you
can sweep from 5 to 25 miles in 8 seconds. The engine
at all speeds is practically vibrationless.
But you must get the manufacturing background to
comprehend how much quality is built into the new
good Maxwell. We will gladly give you facts about the
great organization and plants that make almost every
detail of the car. But most of all we want an oppor
tunity to give you a ride.
TtmHng Car, Club Coupe, Club Sedan. Standard Four-
Door Sudan—attractively priced from <895 to <1095. All
* prices f. «. b. Detroit, tax extra.
Wears pleased to esetend the convenience of time-payments.
Ask about MaxwelVs attractive plan. Maxwell dealers \
mad superior Maxwell service everywhere. 1
H. B. LEARY, JR. AND BROS. f \
niotributnr. \ \
MAXWELL—CHRYSLER \ \
Chrysler Showroom North 429<i Maxnell Showroom \ \tw \
General Offirek unit Sorrier Department V . _ laC \
IGI2-22 You St. N.\V. 1321-23 14th St. NAY. \ \
_ New Good \ \
THE SUNDAY STAR. 'WASHINGTON, D. C., MAY 17, 1925-PART 3.
EXCELLENT ROADS LEAD DOWN TO THE SALT OF THE SEA
—i |
AUTOMOBILE ROUTES
tot he
EASTERN SHORES OF iSjjfelC
MARYLAND AND DELAWARE pjg JIP Jfpl/7
:k >;■ s j u!{
*— ‘i!i//{o* nli /' i' • .
SEEKS ELIMINATION
OF ALL GRADE CROSSINGS
Maryland State Road Commissioner
Will Ask for Funds to
Carry on Work.
Special Dispatch to The Star.
BALTIMORE, May lfi.—Elimination
of every grade crossing on the State
roads in Maryland has been proposed
by State Roads Commissioner Mack
all. Sufficient funds to carry out this
program will be asked of the next Leg
islature.
Co-operating with Commissioner
Mackall in this movement are the
Baltimore and Ohio and Pennsylvania
Railroads, which have agreed to divide
the cost of this work equally between
the carriers and the State. The plan
calls for the elmination of 168 grade
crossings at an estimated cost of
$20,000,000, fine-half of which must be
appropriated by' the State Legislature,
which meets in 1927. The Western
Maryland Railroad also has signified
its approval of the plan, within limits
fixed by availability of funds.
•
Done With the Head.
One car owner recently saved him
self a lot of trouble and expense by
using his head in finding the eause of
a strange engine click. He found
out the number of clicks per revolu
tion of the engine shaft, traced the
noise to the camshaft and thence to a
flat valve lifter roller. Cost him 35
cents to remedy the trouble.
THE OLD MECHANIC SAYS:
If I was to build an automobile
accordin’ to my own notions there
wouldn't be any clutch or foot brake.
Just an accelerator. Then I could go
on repairin’ honest breakdowns and
not have to waste my life makin' up
for all the trouble owners around here
inflict on their cars by using the ped
als like you would a player piano.
I've yet to find a car in reasonably
good condition that couldn't be
handled 90 per cent of the time on
the open road with the accelerator
alone. Any half way decent engine
nowadays will pick up quickly enough
by feedin' gas gingerly. mak
ing gear shiftin' a matter of savin' a
few seconds at the expense of extra
wear and tear on the car. Any en
gine with normal compression will
serve to slow down the car to a safe
speed if the driver will just take hfs
foot off the accelerator within reason
able time after seein’ that there is
danger ahead.
Instead of skillful use of the aceel
erator you find the average driver
pumpin’ up and down on the clutch
and brake pedals, and just usin' the
accelerator for an occasional burst
of speed or as a means of runnin’ the
engine at the wrong speed, so that he
can run the risk of smashin’ the gears
when he tries to shift them.
All tiiis just means work for nie
Friction burns out clutch facings and
warps the. plates. And there is no
hotter way to start friction doin’ its
evil work in a clutch than by engagin'
and releasin' the clutch constantly. It
isn't so much the wear on the brake
linings that makes this craze for usin'
the brakes a dead waste, but the
extra wear on the universals, trans
mission and pinion gear. When the
engine does the slowin'down the proc
ess is natural and nothin’ is strained.
But when the driver jams on the
brakes it’s just like the car was tryin'
to go both ways at once.
Os course, it can't really do ’this, so
I imagine it compromises by turnin'
about and headin’ for my shot).
Louisiana had the biggest per
centage of increase in registration
last year, 30.3 per cent.
}> —* •
Australia buys the greatest num
ber of passenger cars from the Unit
ed States, and Japan purchases the
greatest number of motor trucks.
You don’t need opera glasses
to see big value in this Six
The new Gardner Six is a husky, man-size Six with You’ll find a Six that’s built to last —a Six yon
more built-in value —more beauty, more comfort, keep for years—a Six you’ll never have to baby. Note
more performance, more happy miles between the the big, stout axles especially designed for Gardner
front bumper and tail light—than $1395 ever before enclosed 4-wheel brakes. Rear sprio«fr almost half the
bought in an automobile. total wheelbase length. The brute-like strength of the
And you don’t have to take anybody’s word for it, for chassis, with its b-inch frame and six cross-members,
the car is here and you can easily check up on every- * >ess miR " t do, but Gardner doesn t build that way.
thing we say. Any man with a firm determination to get the most
You*ll find new beauty in color and line that will automobile in the world for $1395 is going to be a
make you sit up and take notice—a smooth, eager mighty hard-to-sell prospect for competitive motor
motor that will give you a new idea of flashing speed, caT salesmen once he meets the car that’s winning
power and performance— a car that steers and handles "*** buyers all over the nation—
as easily as a bicycle. That's valuel The new Gardner Six.
f, BCR MOTORS CO.
Jjtf DEALER-DISTRIBUTOR
2201 M St - N.W. Phone West 2006
. e ~’~gSJISZ M DEALERS
PERRY BOSWELL, Mt. Rainier, Md. J. D. THOMPSON, Herndon, Vs.
GARDNER
Stx>Cyttnd*r Body Style*, Touring, $1395, Brougham, $1594; Sodas. St 795
Eight-tannic Body Stylet: Special TourtnV sl99s; Brougham, J 1996; Sedan, 3249$
All Price* F. O. B. St. Lotcis
Our convenient monthly payment plan permits immediate enjoyment of a Qardner
GARDNER PERFORMANCE AND DURABILITY HAVE NEVER BEEN QUESTIONED
INTERSTATE BUS RULES
ARE CONFERENCE TOPIC
More Than 100 Operators of
Freight and Passenger Lines In
vited to Meeting May 20.
A conference for the purpose of j
formulating a legislative policy re 1
garding the interstate regulation of j
trucks and busses has been called by ]
the American Automobile Association j
to meet here May 20. More than 100 i
bus and truck associations have been
invited to be represented. These as
sociations represent the independent
bus and truck operators.
The meeting will be held under the
auspices.of the commercial vehicle de
partment of the A. A. A. The same
question will I*> discussed at the an
nual meeting of the Chamber of Com
merce of the United States May 21.
Eastern Shore Is Veritable
Paradise for Motor Tourists
Maryland and Delaware Noted for Hos
pitality and Epicurean Living—Coun
try Rich in History and Beauty .
EASTERN SHORE MILEAGES
AND FERRY SCHEDULE.
The trip to the Eastern Shore
of Maryland, formerly made by
way of Elkton. is more gener
ally made now by taking the
ferry at Annapolis to Claiborne.
The ferry leaves Maryland's,
capital at 8 am., 1 p.m. and
5:20 p.m.. Returning from
Claiborne the schedule is 10
a.m.. 3 p.m. and 7 p.m.
Some of the points indicated
on the accompanying map can
be reached comfortably in a
day. but a week end tour of
this section is recommended as
being both enjoyable and in
st motive.
Distances front Washington
to favorite places on the East
ern Shore follow:
Milov
Annapolis t.'t
Kast'jn 50
t'ambridss . . !>1
Marddla Sprints 9»
<;*ortpto'vii i Del i 10“
Salisbury I Oil
Rehoboth City 12!
Ocean City 140
Crisfleld I*3
Roads that lead to the ocean, past
sanctuaries of patriotism, through
wooded halls of nature's own design,
where sea breezes mingle with the
fragrance of sweet-scented blossoms;
to spots famous among epicures,
where hospitality runs in the blood
and living is practiced as an art —
these are the roads that lead to the
Eastern Shores of Maryland and
Delaware;
To visit Maryland's historic sites,
to climb her mountains and descend
into her valleys, to pay tribute at
her hallowed landmarks and yet not
to visit her Eastern Shore, Is not to
know Maryland. Partly cut away
from the mainland by tne tentaoled
arm of the Chesapeak •>. it has been
less accessible, yet tourists and pleas
ure-seekers who have crossed the
bay have pronounced it a veritable
paradise.
The Star’s special motor tour this
week leads to these famous places on
the Eastern it ho re.
Annapolis First Stop.
Leaving tne District of Columbia
byway of Good Hope, the road is,
perhaps, familiar to most Washing
ton motorists as far as Marlboro,
thence to .Mount Zion and Annapolis.
Maryland's interesting capital city
and the home of the United States
Naval Academy.
Known the world over for its spie
and-span midshipmen. Annapolis dates
from 1549. when it was founded
by Puritan exiles from Virginia. In
the early days, long before the Revo
lution. Annapolis was a flourishing,
fashionable city. As a capital city it
goes back to 1594. There are many
«
venerable mansions, amon? others
being: S 3 Prince George street, built
about 1780 as a mansion for the gov
ernor.
Besides the N'aval Academy, found
ed in 1845, Annapolis has a much
older seat of learning—St. John's Col
lege—opened in 1789 On the campus
of this school will he found a tulip
poplar tree estimated to be 600 years
old. Visitors to Annapolis, of course,
make it a point to see the chapel and
the crypt, wherein are the remains of
John Paul Jones.
From Annapolis the most direct
route to the Eastern Shore is h\
way of the ferry across the bay to
Claiborne, a trip of approximately an
hour and three-quarters, but thor
oughly enjoyable and a pleasant di
version. The little town at which the
ferry lands is named after one of th®
pioneers in Maryland history.
Mye House Interesting.
From Claiborne a good road leads
to Easton. Near here is IVye House,
one of the finest examples of colonial
architecture in the country. Nearby,
also, is Hope House, noted for its
beautiful gardens and trees. What
is believed to be the oldest frame
building extant in the United States
will be found in Easton. The Friends
Meeting House, records show, was
built in 1684. making it :’4l tears old.
Crossing the Choptank River, the
road leads to Bethlehem and thence
in a southerly direction. Many of the
towns en route date back to the very
beginnings of colonial history, and to
this day this section retains the old
English names brought there by the
colonial pioneers. Motorists are unan
imous in proclaiming this section tb®
most hospitable place on earth, and
“where a stranger can get more to
eat for nothing than anywhere else
on the globe.”
With the exception m etmrf
stretch from Federalsburg to the
Maryland Delaware line, the roads on
the Eastern Shore are of the im
proved types, either concrete or
gravel. In the immediate vicinity of
the bay some shell roads are to be
found. The road from Federalsburg
is of dirt, but is readily traversable
in dry weather.
Salisbury is one of the larger towns
on the Eastern Shore, and from this
point improved roads branch out to
the north, going into Delaware: to the
east, to Ocean Citv; to tile sotith. to
Crisfield.
Where t.b® Choptank River widens
to meet the bay is Cambridge, where
fish and oysters abound and wild fowl
in countless numbers come to feed.
Here is a beautiful little city, the
cradle of governors and the home of
a wealth of aristocracy. Nearby are
the show places of the riu Fonts, the
equal of which, perhaps, are not to be
found in Maryland.
To the south, between Tangier
Sound and Pocomoke Sound, is the
(Continued on Eighth Page.)