The St. Louis Republic., 1904-12-07
CLAIMS INCREASE
is NOT JUSTIFIED
Statement of F. J. Firth Except
ed To by Attorney Mayer, Who
Produces Statistics-Prou-
ty Uses Strong Simile.

Chicago, Dec. 6.-At to-day's session
Of the Interstate Commerce Commission,
Frank ]. Firth. chairman of the uni
form Bill of Lading" Committee, testified
that increased losses justified an increase
nies.
Exception was taken to this statement
by Attorney Levy Mayer. counsel for the
prosecution, who submitted statistics
showing relative earnings OF various rail-
roads for 1902 and 1903.
According to these figures the profits OF
the various railroads for 1903 were consid-
erably in excess Of those of 1902 After a
perusal of the figures Mr.. Firth testified
to their veracity.
'It seems to me-" said Commissioners
Prouty, that IL you hold a pistol to a
mans head and. at your suggestion, he
gives you his yaluables, he does not do It
pears that the shipper will not accept the
% per cent service because he cannot az
ford to do it. Is 1t not the proposition OF
the companies to practicaliy Iorce me
Ice because the companies do not wish to
become the insurer"
Mr.. Firth said he could not speak ex-
cept from his own experience: that on MS
insured the goods they were unable to
tell in what condition they had been
packed, and were helpless In arriving at
a Just settlement.
session testified that no trouble was met
with under the old bill Of ladtng in nego.
tiating loans upon them from banks until
the railroads announced that a new bill
would be issued and the so-called Copper
cent increase was called to the atten-
ton of the bankers as well as the words,
mot negotiable" which are printed on the
new bills.
Then the witnesses testified that the
banks announced that they would not
handle such a proposition and the ship
pers became frightened and sought the
commission for a settlement Of the ques-
ton.
Among those who testified along these
lines were: F. T. Bentley. traffic mana
J. Stebbins, secretary of the Grain Deal
ers' Association; c. C.. Bovey, representa-
tive of the National Millers' Association:
and Herbert Bradley. traffic manager Of
telegram was read before the Commission
ers from William A. Nash Of the Corn
Bank, of New York. stating that
the bank would not exchange loans for
the proposed bills of lading.
From remarks to-day of number of at
torneys representing the railroads inter'
ested in the hearing, the testimony Of
A number of those attorneys asked that
the hearing be adjusted so that they could
learn what action the officials Of the roads
wish to take. Mr.. Firth, president of the
Uniform Bill Of Lading Committee. said
that over 100000 of the new bills have
been printed. and that they will go into
effect January 1. but that there will be
no material change II the commission de-
eires to wait thirty days or more.
This brought objections from Attorney
Mayor, representive of the Shippers An
sociation. and the hearing was adjourned
until tomorrow morning, with the sug-
gestion of the Commissioners that the rail-
road attorneys get together and arrive at
some definite conclusion concerning what
they intend doing. Attorney Mayer said
that his testimony would be completed at
session.