The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1916-08-07

RANE OF TRAVELLING MEN
Discarded law Required Separate
Declarations Of value Of Dach Picce
Of BaspAge forwarded ~ Rail-
road.

Washington. D. c., Aug. e--ThAt
bane OF the railroad Traveller, s't1le
Cummins amendment" under which
every one who checks 4 trunk Il :
railroad station has to sign q separate
declaration of value for each article
of baggage forwarded. has had the
sting taken from 1t by both houses Of
for the Presidents signature to be ia
order on the amending act II q con-
ference between Senate and House Of
Representatives over several minor
differences between the two bodies,
The House passed bill late yesterday
amending the original liability act.
The Senate already has passed It.
Every since the so-cailed Cumnlins
amendment has been effective travel
ers have been confronted In railroad
stations by huge signs directing At
tentfon to the amendment" ana the
necessity of standing in line to sign
pink or a blue or green or white
Slip. according to the railroad to be
Travelled on.
Made Travellers Miss Trains.
The matter got to be sore point
with commercial men. and moro than
one inexperienced traveller has missed
trains In the efforts necessitAted un-
der the law. AS an additional incon-
venience to travelling. the Cummins
amendment would probably DO given
first prize.
AS explained by Representative
Esch, OF Wisconsin. ranking Ropubli-
can on the interstate and foreign COM
merce committee.
the Senate side March 1, 1915, near
the minute Of the final ADJOURNMENT
of Congress. The bill was that which
refuses to allow railroads to limit liza !.
bility for loss upon goods and tive.
stock carried on their lines The ori-
ginal intention did not cover pers ,nal
baggage. but these words were deftly
slipped into tho bill In some manner.
provided. however, that Il the goods
are hidden from View BY Wrapping
boxing or other means and the carrier
is not notified as to the character OF
the goods the carrier may require the
shipper to specifically state In writing
the value of the goods and the car
rier shall not be liable beyond tine
amount SO specifically stated. etc.
Reading that over you win see that
personal baggage 10 perfectly well COW
cred. Whether intended or not. the
travellers of the country have heon
put to much Inconvenience. loss of
time and 30 forth"
/. @. q. Never Favored Law.
While not officially stated, memoers
OF Congress say that the Interstate
Commerce Commission never was I'm
favor Of this so-called "Cummins
amendment" and that possibly one
reason for the strict enforcement Of
the law by the railroads is becalse OF
a desire to direct attention TO the ex-
treme undesirability OF the law
The law. as 1t will be amended. now
that the Senate and House have passed
the amendatory bill. expressly speci-
fies that tho liability law shall not
apply first to baggage carried en- pas
senger trains or boats" This act Is
made more specific as to what 1t real
ly means to cover; and livestock ia
specified as Of prime Importance. Rail-
roads will be required to be liable for
livestock shipped over their routes II
Ia far cry from \ herd OF cattle to
woman's trunk shipped aver a rail-
road. and the Congress OF she United
States now il in process Of declaring
that it recognizes the difference.