Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-16
COME FROM SSTATES OPEN DOOR NOT SHUT
Commissioners of Railways State Department Exonerates
Annual Convention. China and Japan.
ADDRESSES BY LEADERS ASSURANCES ARE CREDITED
Smpfcaon Tariffs Suggested Exclusive Mining Rights Man
by Martin S Decker churia Not Claimed.
COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER PLAN PARTNERSHIP TERRITORY
Railway Operation A. n. Without Affecting Privileges Of
Smith
ADDRESSES By LEADERS
RS ASSURANCES ARE CREDITED
Simplification of Tariffs Suggested
by Martin S. Decker.
COMMITTEE TO CONSIDER PLAN
Discussion of Progressive Safety in
Railway Operation by A. H.
Smith-Other Topics.

State railroad officials from twenty-six
twenty-first annual convention of the Ma
tional Association OF Railway Commits
sioners at the interstate commerce COM
mission today. Other states will be rep
resented before the convention adjourns
Thursday. The address OF President
Martin s. Decker of the New York pub
lie utility commission and that of A H.
Smith. vice president of the New York
Central, were the features o. the day.
There is great need for thorough
inquiry upon what. If any. modification
or entirely new methods of tariff con-
struction and announcement of rates can
be substituted which will have the effect
of actually simplifying the tariffs" said
Mr.. Decker in his address.
Alleged Disregard of Law.
Under the law shippers are supposed
to read these tariffs understandinsly.a and
conformity thereto is required. but, in
fact. they rarely read them; they seldom
understand them. and are generally
forced to rely, often with damaging re-
suits, upon rate quotations supplied by
railway agents"
Mr.. Decker remarked to the convention
that today il is commonly understood that
only rate tariff experts can be relied
upon TO read the many complicated tar
ifs, and the fact that misconceptions fire.
queEtly come from the division freight
Offices indicated that these experts are
most often found i'm the general Office
of the railway.
The New York official suggested the ap-
poihtment of a standing committee of
simplifcat.on of railway tariffs with au-
thority to meet with representatives of
shippers and railways and conduct a
thorough inquiry upon which to base a
report to the next convention.
Safety in Railway Operation.
MIR. Smith reviewed the various stages
of progressive safety i'm railroad opera
ton. He paid particular attention 10
safety appliances, signals and the dis
patcher system.
One of the principal subjects to come
before the convention will be that of de-
murrage. The report Of the committee
pared an almost sensational report on
this subject.
In this report, the committee which
was composed Of railroad officials from
forty-two states. will say:
We are in a position to state with
authority that car service rules are
used to no small extent as q means
by which favored shippers secure I'M
lawful concessions. In some sections
of the country where the failure to en-
force demurrage rules has been particu
larly notorious the railroads are carry
ing on their books at the present time
uncollected derhurrage charges in the
amount Of hundreds Of thousands of dol
lars II the fight against this particular
fora Of rebating is to be carried to a sue
cessful conclusion, the first requisite is the
adoption Of strict demurrage rules; the
second is the institution OF such meas
ures as many be necessary to insure
their literal enforcement"
The committee will present a uniform
demurrage code of rules which il hopes
If adopted will preserve to she shipper
every right that he can justly assert.
while imposing upon the carrier no bur-
den that can be- called unreasonable"
Other Topics Discussed.
Other addresses before the convention
were: "Apportionment as Between State
and Interstate Traffic of Railway Valu-
alton Made for Rate Making or Rate
Regulation Purposes. by Thomas d.
O'Brien. associate justice OF the supreme
court Of Minnesota. ST. Paul. Mimi:
"Simpliication of Tariffs tor Public Use"
Vice President W. B. Biddle. Rock
Island lines, Chicago. H.; Progressive
Safety in Railroad Operation" by A. III.
Smith. vice president, the New York Cen
trail and Hudson River Railroad Com:
pany, Grand Central station, New York
city: Railway Depreciation Accounts"
by c. 1. Sturgis, general auditor, Chi
cago, Burlington and Quincy railway
system, Chicago. ILL.,. and w. J. Meyers.
statistician, public service commission,
second district, Albany, n. Y, and
Amendment of Laws and of Railw q
Rules and Regulations Required by Ship
ping interests" by J. c. Lincoln. COM
missioner. traffic bureau. Merchants Ex-
change of st. Louis, ct. Louis. Mo.