The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-12-07
RAILROADS
 ARE ROUTED Shippers Win Out Al
 Chicago. NO NEW BILL OF LADlNG Eastern Reads Pull Down
 After Conference. Counsel for Shippers shows That Roads Made More Money In 1908 Than I902-Numerous Witnesses Examined.

Chicago. Dec. e.-Although still fight ing the matter before the interstate Commerce Commission. the eastern railroads practically have agreed not to insist on the objectionably provisions contained in the new uniform bill of lading.
 This fact developed during todays hearing before the commission when al lorney Levy Mayer, representing the shippers declared certain eastern roads had announced to the shippers that they would not put the bill in effect January l. Nevertheless, an attempt on the part of the commission to obtain a general gurantee that no action would be taken before February 1, was intellectual.
 The eastern lines held conference here today at which the subject was discussed, and 1t was generally con- ceded that it would be useless to at- tempt to impose a 20 per cent increase in the rates. based on assumption of the carriers common law liability to pay damages for loss or injury to ship ments. It also was decided that it would be impracticable.to insist on the words Not Negotiable"
 The tacit understanding was that even though the bill of lading were put into effect January l. these words would be stricken out whenever the shippers insisted on 1t. and that when objection was made the signature of the shipper to the bill of lading would not be required.
 At today's session of the interstate commerce commission Frank J. Firth, z chairman of the Uniform Bill of Lad ing Committed" testified that increas- ed losses justified an increase of freight rates by the railroad compan- ies.
 Exception was taken to this state ment by attorney Levy Mayer. counsel for the prosecution, who submitted statistics showing relative earnings of various railroads for 1909 and 1903. A""""''' to these figures the profits ra aa ous railroads for 1903 were
 tno mut in excess of those of 1AGZ.
 By Isaac rsual of the figures, Mir. lion. Nor ted their veracity.
 Night PLeave no Alternative.
 "It seems to me-" said Commissioner Prouty, that if you hold a pistol to 8 mans head and. at your suggestion he gives you his vaiuables, he does hot do 1t voluntarily; he has no alterna- tive. It arpears that the shipper will not acce r. the 20 per cent service. be- cause he cannot afford to do 1t. Is it not the proposition of the companies to practically force the shipper to take the limitf liability service because the companies do not wish to become the insurer?
 MT. Firth said he could not speak. except from his own experience: that on his road the experience was that if the company insured the goods they were unable to tell in what condition they had been packed and were helps less in arriving at a just settlement.
 A number of witnesses at the after noon session testified that no trouble was met with under the old bill of lad ing In negotiating loans upon them from banks until railroads announced that new bill would be issued and the so-called 20 per cent increase was call ed to the attention of the bankers as well as the words mot negotiable, . which are printed on the new bills. Then the witness testified, the banks announced that they would not handle such a proposition and the shippers be- came frightened and sought the com mission for a settlement of the ques- tion.
 A telegram was received and read before the commission by William F. Nash of the Corn Exchange Bank of New York stating that the bank would not exchange loans for the proposed bills of lading.
 The testimony offered today came as a surprise to the representatives of the roads. A number of these representa- tives asked that the hearing be ad- journed so that they could learn what action the officials of the roads wished to take. Mir. Firth. President of the uniform bill of lading commission said that 50,000,00O of the new bills had been printed and that they win go into effect January 1. but there will be no material change if the commission desires to wait thirty days or more.
 This brought objections from Attor- ney Mayer representative of the ship pers and the hearing was adjourned until morning with the suggestion by the commissioners that the railroad at- torneys get together and arrive at some conclusion concerning what they intend doing Attorney Mayer said his testimony would be completed at to-