Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1915-06-07

rights
The only trouble about II was that
the people TO be benefited also had
to pay the bulk Of the taxes for the
maintenance Of the commissions. And
az the years passed Il gradually was
borne In. upon them that the protec-
ton was costing them vastly more
than tho benefits were worth. 50,
hast year. the people revolted and
overthrow the La Toilette machine
and the commissions are being abol-
ishcd
Also. in his efforts TO serve the
dear people" Senator la Toilette
had the senman's law passed at tho
last congress II VIII become effective
November 3. and already American
steamship companies are giving no.
tee that they win quit business, just
at time that they should be boom
ing. We lost our merchant marine
during the ciyil war and II was hoped
that we would regain il during the
world war now raging But under the
new seamans law. the American
ships engaged In traffic on the Pa
cIflc cannot compete with the Japs
The laps, realizing the situation.
are working their shipbuilding plants
night and day In order to take the
little commerce heretofore carried IN
American bottoms. The British.
French. Italian and Scandinavian
ships, which stlll have the run Of the
Atlantic ocean, will displace the
American lines there.
But coming back TO Senator La
Tollette's great compatriot, Senator
A. -. Cummins and his bill, now a
law. II is probable that when the Iowa
statesman drew his complicated bill,
he did not foresee what world OF
unnecessary trouble and vexation itI
was destined TO cause the travelling
public. one may doubt whether he
realized that the law would apply to-
baggage ms well as to freight
But the Interstate Commerce COM
mission had no doubt on the subject,
When that commission studied the
Cummins amendment carefully, II dis
covered that every person who checks
his trunk when going on a journey IL
Ia point Of fact shipper and must
therefore hive n bill of lading. He
must also put definite valuation on
the contents of his trunk in order 10
recover the same In case OF rs lass
or damage.
The Cummlns idea was TO force the
railroads 10 pay fun value for all
goods lost or damaged In transit. So
far so good But many shipments are
In closed packages. the contents OF |
which are not known TO the railroads. |
IN shipping such hidden goods"
therefore, II " required that the ship
per state IN writing the value there
Of. Moreover, the commission is au-
thorlsed to establish rates dependent
on the value of the property shipped,
as stated by the shipper
This Is all perfectly practicable as
TO freight, but when applied TO per-
sonal baggage cannot fail to prove an
nuisance.
In compliance with this law, the
Interstate Commerce commission has
promulgated rules under which a
piece of baggage containing articles
to the value of $i00 must he carried
free by the railroads. For each hum
dred dollars in excess, the traveller
must pay ten cents extra--a sort OF
premium.
Thus, whenever you start on n i
journey now, either you must carry
only hand baggage or you must &c,
4 bill Of lading and sign a statement
Of the value of the baggage checked.
II Is even said that a MEASUREMENT of
The value Of tho contents Of "A trunk
Or suit case checked is misdemea-
nor and punishable as such
Before the cumbersome law has
been in operation many months
doubtless Senator Cummlns will have
more curses on his head than ever
iave fallen upon any other lawmaker
II this nation. He is the cause OF
What must be vast amount OF un-
Necessary trouble.