The Evansville daily journal., 1849-12-04
Free passes fOr Editors on Railroads.

Free passes fOx Editors On Railroads.
THE community were somewhat startled a
few days since, by an announcement made
that editors were not allowed TO pass over IL
certain Railroad free-and still more when
some heroic geptlemen started up at the
meeting. and with courage cxcllimed, Glad
LOT It," For our part we see no particular
cause of rejoicing, and the gentleman who
thus spoke out must look deeper into the suh
liect than we have as yet. ElZur Wright. at
the time, wrote II short article upon the sys-
tenn of free passes, and concluded by prom
sing not only to ride over the rails ami pay
| his fare, but to become Il stoclholder if the
Icompamos would pay u1dIr price for the hun
dredS of articles which, directly or indirectly.
tend to improve railroad stock and which
editors insert daily and weekly, gr,tuitousy.
Let us look for Il moment into this sublert
and see how much newspapers have 10 do
with the formation Of railroads. A few men
meet and illk over Il route Tor a railroad. The
resources ol the country are looked at, the
amount OF travel Is reckoned. and then the
public pulse is touched through the medium
Of the newspaper. The editor is called upon
and becomes Interested in the plan. and his
pen is employed to portray the advantages
which must accrue. Other editors copy the
IL
then comes call for public meeting, and
the RgicSpaper again lends grctuitously, It's
services to induce the people to be present.
The work goes on! the newspaper records its
progress. The annual meeting is held-a
reporter is dispatched, and the absent stock
holders, ere twenty four hours have elapsed,
are posted up; and finally comes the opening,
when two columns in the ne1CSpdpsr an
nouuce to the world that there is such road
in existence, refer to its prospects, atlude to
the beauties of Nature which can be seen
during ride over the road, and establish III
the minds of the people a confidence in the
stock What pecuniary reward is received
| Cor all this2 An advertisement at low
price is obtained and the money received for
9srvs sat ltTes;sss siss,g the tlssg3ls of the
/ iroad Finsls What the aeiUSp0per does for
railroads. What should be the reward of
! those who spend time and money in improv-
! ing the stock Of railroads? What does free
pass amount to2 1t COSTS the railroad no more
10 convey one hundred and one passengers
than it does TO convey one hundred. Editors
: are not generally migratory in their habits
but when AN opportunity offers they some
times avail themselves. of it. A leisure day
presents itself, and away he flies over the
road, noting everything he Sees and giving
a sketch Of his trip in his paper which is read
| by thousands and thousands Perhaps few
only may be induced to follow his example,
They go and see, and these few speak of it to
Others and So the ball is set in notion
What does the corporation lose?
There is policy. in free passes-there is
economy in well directed berallty. and some
roads have studied the system and been gain
ers, while others have pursued narrow con-
tracted course and the result Is seen. Look
at the flour shing villages which have sprung
up on some of the Dads, contrasting strong
| Iy with the de 9erted. ha9nlets on other,roufes,
and where the meannesS of the President