The herald., 1896-11-08
BAGGAGE SMASHING.
This outrage on the American People Is
Attracting More Attention.

The Republican began its demand for
greater care from the railroads in the
handling of baggage with a pretty clear
appreciation of the difficulties in the
way. 1T was plain that the work must
be done under high pressure and sharp
time limit; that many passengers carry
heavy trunks or cheap trunks, and arc
inconsiderate in their demands. but it
struck us that the greatest block in the
way was the indispostion of both rail-
road managers and baggage handlers to
apply the simple yet effective remedy
of more care. This is the key to the com
pick situation that is depicted by the
general baggage agents in interviews
with our Boston Reporter. 1t ism OF so
much a matter of rules and regulations
as of spirit
We can make our meaning clear by
referring again to the general improve
ment in railroad methods and manners.
1t is not beyond the memory of compare
lively young men when the price of
making a just and reasonable complaint
against any department of a railroad
was insult heaped upon insult-and the
further appeal was carried the greater
was the accumulation of resentment in
vited and poured out upon the head of
the citizen, who was simply perform
ing duty to himself and the public.
This public be damned" attitude has
been abandoned to a degree most well
need not dwell on that. 1t has been re-
placed in considerable measure by study
of the public convenience and comfort,
and details of neatness and politeness
are being more and more insisted upon.
Here is the change of spirit. 1t was al
ways due the travelling public by right,
but it has come slowly enough in most
departments of railroading. Our con-
tention has been and is that in the bag
gage department a larger infusion of
the right spirit will help amazingly to
remedy the evils that every reasonable
traveller sees, experiences and deploreS.
The complaints which have been
drawn out by our recent editorial are
not unreasonable ones. They are not
made by chronic grumblers, nor do they
come from people who carry those cheap
trunks upon which the baggage agents
lay so much stress. The New York gen
teman, a wide traveller, who told our
Northampton reader that his baggage
encountered worse treatment on the
railroads of New England than in other
sections of the country, had no motive
for making the charge beyond the fact.
Was the crushing of the Rev. Mr.. Bud
idefoot's bags under heavy trunks
proper or defensble proceeding? We
are not asking for the impossible or the
unreasonable. If the problem, which
confronts the baggage departments is
difficult and complicated one, so much
the more credit will attend it's right
solution. If anyone insists that there is
no crying need for the more careful
handling of baggage he simply flies in
the face of what we can all see and do
see--even in the union station in Boston,
where. as we have said. much and praise
worthy regard is paid to the rights and
needs of the travelling public. Greater
care can be profitably used even there.
Let ii be insisted upon.
And in conclusion we would call the
especial attention of our readers to the
points that are made by the general
baggage agents in their arraignment of
travellers. There is sense and force in
their criticism. Let those who offend in
the way specified expect to suffer for
their own shortcomings. But for travel
ers who do not belong with these offend
ers, who buy good trunks and bags and
do not load them unduly, we beg such
simple protection as good temper, an
accommodating spirit and ordinary care
duly insisted upon will give. year in and
year out.-Springfield (Mass.,) Repub-
lican.