The farmer and mechanic., 1915-04-13
WOULD ONLY TAKE FIVE
Southern Preparing To File
New Tariffs; Carriers Claim
New Law Gives Privilege Of
Automatic Increase By De-
stroying The Limitation of
Damage Clause
(By the Associated Press

(BS the Associated Press
Washington. D. c., April 10 IN |
crease Of certain freight rates and
modification Of the present form Of
bills Of lading were proposed by rail
road representatives, while six
months test under present conditions
was the cOunter-prOpOSal Of traffic as
sOclauons at a conference today called
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion to discover how carriers and
shippers views changed obligations
arising from the Cummins amendment
to the railroad rate act
The amendment becomes effective
June ). The commission itself is un-
derstood not to be entirely clear as to
it's effect and tOday's conference was
called to learn whether there is q
common ground On which the rail-
roads. the shippers and the commits
sion can reach an adjustment.
After discussion that lasted ali day
Commissioner Clark adjourned the
conference, but gave all parties per-
| mission to file briefs before April 20.
| Under present bills Of lading with
limited liability the carriers under
| take the transportation Of freight at
| the rates now in effect. Their tariffs,
however, provide that where the ship
| per demands full liability there shall
be an automatic increase in the freight
! rate of 10 per cent. The carriers held
today that when the Cummins amend
ment prohibiting limitation Of liability
! becomes effective they may automati-
| cally increase their freight rates IL
per cent.
This contention was not accepted
by the Traffic Association representa-
tives, who declared that the inten
merely was to increase the Habilit.
of the roads not to bring about an.
increase in freight rates.
Southern Would Take Half.
: Lincoln Green, freight traffic man
: ager Of the Southern Railway, and ap
! parently spokesman for roads in tn
South, contended that the railroad
could automatically increase thei
rates 10 per cent after June 3rd. II
said, however, that instead of such>s
increase the Southern proposed t
make such modification in it's bills @
; lading as would result il a per cen
increase on certain cOInmOditie
!, where the risk will increase with tn
full liability clause in operation. II
estimated that about 80 per cent G
the Southern's entire freight trafh
: would be affected by the increase.
Mr.. Green said the Southern eX
I poets to file by October 1st new tariff
!, for hauls to interior points in tn
! South. in compliance with a recent OF
der of the commission, which will re
| suit in increases to some points and l
= reductions to other points. When thes
tariffs are filed the Southern will n(
expect to secure the automatic il
Q crease in addition.
. . New Basis For Damage Claims.
O. E. Butterfield, representing cal
rierS of official classification territOr
declared the Cummins amendmel
should be SO construed by the con
Il mission that carriers might elimina
l. from their present bills of lading tt
q clause fixing liability for damage
n the invoice price" Of the shipmen
e but retain the clause giving value s.
y the place and time Of Shipment
Il the basis for damage claims.
. That action should be taken pri
le to June 3, he said, and the roads
represented would then not expect al
general freight rate increase. Wi
,e respect TO livestock. household gooG
le glassware, paintings and a number
al other commodities. rates of which d
)r pend on values, Mr Butterfield a
SIS gued there is added liability under t
is Cummins amendment and an increa
is in the normal rates should be per1n
ted.
H G. Wilson, president of the n
90 tional Industrial Traffic League. su
IN gested that the railroads first find o
Mt where heavy payments result frc
er their increased liability and then G
he Inand Increases On the rates for tn
:g particular kind Of traffic.
d. The appeal of the Episcopal boa
tp all the members of the church