Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-06-23
BRIEF FOR DEFENSE
IN RAILROAD
LEGISLATION
Carriers Declare Majority of
Bills Require Railroads to Do
Very Things They Do of Their.
Own Free viii,
Ispeeiai Correspondence TO Morning Journali

OWll FI66 Wllll
Ispectsi Correspondence 10 Morning JournalJ
Washington u. c.. June 2O.-Of the
thirty-four eaousand bills hat con
gress has been asked to enact into law
at the present session, one hundred
ana twenty-five affect railroads ex-
clusiVely. emitting the so-called "Ad-
niinistration bill,' this long list OF
proposed measures covers Il wide
wide range, restricting the power to
make and collect rates, debating meth
DDS of operation, and in many i~nstanc-
es simply requiring railroads to do the
precise things they now do of their
own free will. An example of this
work Of supererogation is found in
the bills of Senator Burkett Of Ne
braska, Cummins of Iowa, and Repre-
sentative Coudray of Missouri, reuuir-
ing the railroads to carry $50 pounds
of baggage free for an adult passen-
ger. The railroads have done this for
years.
a still more notable example OF
compelling by law the doing Of some
thing that is already fully provided
for IS the bill of Representative Mann.
of Illinois. giving the Interstate Com
merce Commission power to formulate
regulations for the transportation OF
explosives. one of the most noteWor-
thy achievements of the railroads re-
Gently has been the brilliant success
of the bureau of explosives, organized
by tile railroads four years ago, in re-
ducing the danger of handling the five
thousand cars containing explosives
that are in transit every day some
where in the United States.
Boiler inspection seems to be tho
pet subject nm0nW ThA knrg
this year. no fewer than seven bills
that topic having been introduced
in the two houses. AS all the railroads
employ large and expensive engineer
ing staffs, which keep locomotive,
boilers under continuous and thorough
inspection as a part Of the routine es-l
to the operation of the roads,
about the only substantial gain to be
by the enactment of one on
these bills will be the creation OF
hundred nice government Of
The president will have the APP
pointment of a boiler inspector and
two assistants. The Interstate Com
Commission can appoint three
hundred local inspectors without the
Intervention Of the civil service. In
eidentally the inspectors, by exercising
right to withdraw locomotives
rom the service at any time for tests
fllh lloDtNlioi WOulu IhlNt - ~ AltAi /
power to seriously cripple the opera
ion of the railroads.
Enjoying equal popularity with the
boiler inspection idea Is the attempt
o restore the late lamented pass to
rs former vogue. Seven bills have
,een introduced to give certain privi-
eyed classes the right to ride free.
These range all the way from h Con-
ederate veterans to publishers.
senator Penrose has introduced a
)ill giving certain colleges $4,000 to
use in determining the hammer blow,
centrifugal lift and tangential throw
If counter balances. AS various col
railroad companies and me-
engineers have already gone
nto this subject pretty fully without
for government aid, the value
If this scheme, except to the colleges
hat get the money, is not apparent.
still another proposed measure is
nc providing for "full crews -Four
ills have been introduced on this
ubject, and four more limiting the
that 4 railroad nan is to be
to labor. one of these
ills, introduced by Representative
Iurphy Of Missouri. imposes a pen
lily Of $500 for permitting any m
iloye to work more than eight hours
llAlOiA AthhllAh - ANkI ~. E1hf
other proposed laws require sleep
ng cars to be equipped with safes,
,rovide for the federal Incorporation
f railroads, the preparation Of uni ;
crm freight classification by the In ,
Commerce commission, the
mystical valuation of the railroads by q,
commission. prohibit the trans .
.ortation Of the products Of convict
ibcr. and establish . commission to .
lvestigate labor disputes. :
one Of the several bills on the sub !
ect Of block signals, empowers the I
Commerce Commission to 7
rider any railroad to install them on {
ne-fourth of it's lines by July /, 1912. !
mother introduced by Representative Z
Of South Dakota, specifies di- a
of locomotives, cars and G
of structures from track.
Another class of bills deals with {
eight claims. one by Representa-
, that this tax would amount TO lie :
i'm Of $23. 900, 900. G
Various bills in house AM seulic v
that rates may not DE raised o
eforc October list, 1910, and auic- >
postpone any incfcaas IN @
tics against which protest Is Judged n
R%odcnberg, of Illinois. incorpor- =
les the freight claims clearing hou4' g
hich will create several offices Will p
ilarics Of $4,000 a year. The in "
imbents Of less desirable but more a
places are to adjust freight o
aims by shippers promptly. Auoth- r
bill by Representative Madison OF "
ansas. is meant TO compel railroads q
pay Just claims within ninety y
avs. II they fail 10 do 50 the %claini- ;
may add mis- attorneys fee Ia his e.
aim. The bill provides no test by 81
hioh a just claim can be idsnti-
ed. u
a bill by Representative Sabaih Of 81
provides for federal compens- bl
for deaths and injuries on rail- y
all claims 10 he paid within j.
irtv DAYS. Funds are 10 b. raised III
levying a tax Of ten dollars "a n