The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-03-01
Louisville. Ky., Feb. 27. lso


 To the Senate and House of Repre-
 sentatives of the State of Alabama:
 My attention has been called to the following bill, entitled:
 An act to Regulate the charges on
 excess baggage on all railroads pro-
 pelled by steam or electricity in
 this State over ten miles in length
 Section l. Be 1t enacted by the Leg islature of Alabama, That 1t shall be unlawful for any railroad in this State. over ten miles in length, run by steam or electricity, to charge more than ten per cent of the cost of a first class fare between all points in this State. per hundred pounds, for excess baggage over one hundred and fifty pounds; provided, however, that the minimum total charge shall be 25 cents and that the minimum rate shall be cents per hundred pounds for excess above 15o pounds.
 Sec 2. Be it further enacted, That the term baggage as used in this Act, besides personal wearing apparel, shall be interpreted to include within it's meaning any and all commercial sam ples of merchandise of whatever kind or nature, when carrfed by commercial representatives for the purpose of ex- hibiting same to solicit orders in due course of trade.
 Sec. 3. Be 1t further enacted, That in order to secure the protection of this Act, it shall be a duty incumbent on the party seeking transportation to present to the proper agent, officer, or servant of the railroad his ticket or evidence of transportation entitling him to first class service at the time he elects to be transported. and in the event of said party's failure or refusal to so present his ticket or evidence of transportation, then in said event, the railroad Is hereby relieved of all duties, requirements, and penalties imposed up- on 1t by the provisions of thts Act.
 Sec 4. Be 1t further enacted, That any such railroad violating the provis- ions of this Act. shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor and upon convic- tioh shall be fined to any sum not less than ten f10) dollars and not more than twenty-five (25) dollars.
 l5 Sec. 5. Be it further enacted, That all laws, or parts of laws, general or of this Act be and the same are hereby repealed" q
 Assuredly the hdnorable members do not comprehend the result of the en- actment and enforcement of the fore going Act-the gross discrimination by the State of Alabama Tn favor of the transportation of merchandise shipped by passenger train and against simi- lar merchandise shipped by freight train and against similar merchandise shipped by freight train. It is prob- able that the members of the Legisla- ture favoring the enactment of the bill may have heard on-y the represer- tations of the members of the United Commercial Travellers of America and the Travellers Protective Association of Alabama. The facilities for the transportation of baggage on passenger trains were intended tv care for the personal bagEage-wearing apparel of passengers, free transportation being furnished for such property up to f50 pounds weight, and a moderate charge made for excess of free weight--a cus- tom inherited from stage coach days. Such facilities were not provided. nor intende for the traa1porraton of mer- chandise. After long usage, the prac- tice has become fixed of permitting commercial travellers to ship alleged samples in unlimited quantities until the service has become so burdensome that it materially interferes with the carriers complying with their obliga- tions to passengers for the transporta- tion of personal baggage. Those who are travelling about the country must have noticed from time to time the great number of packages shipped by baggage for commercial travellers. and the enormous bulk or size of some of them. Commencing in a small way, 1t has grown to intolerable proportions. As the commercial traVeler IS eXceeo- ingly exacting and does not hesitate to demand damages for detention, fear the employees of the railway may, at times, discriminate against the personal baggage of passengers in favor of the commercial travellers samples.
 During the calendar year ending De- cember 31, 1908, the Louisville and Nashville Railroad Company paid for detention to sample baggage. $T27.S2, and during the same period, for deten- tion to personal baggage. $126.50.
 The carrying of merchandise in bag gage cars as baggage oangt to be pro- hibited. It should be shipped either by freight or express.
 The following examples are given of the result of enacting ana enforcing the bill under consideration.
 During the month of January, 1907, one commercial traveller shipped from Montgomery, Ala, ten pieces of bag