The Belmont chronicle, and farmers, mechanics and manufacturers advocate. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1848-1855, 1855-01-19
HOUSE
DEAD HEADS.

Within few months past many of th
Railroad Companies throughout the countr,
have been curtailing the number of "dea,
heoGs" or free tickets given out on thei
roads. The National Jntelligencer,ref ferrn!
to the recent Railroad Convention in Virgin
ia, which took action on this subject, make,
the following truthful remarks:
"The Convention adopted set of resolu
tons on the subject Of free tickets, and ma
med the lunctionaries who were to be enti-
tied. In the list, editors OF newspapers are
not included. We are not aware that editor.
in lis vicicity has ever enjoyed this privi-
/ lege. AT the north it IS called the "dcad
head system" But perhaps no better op-
pnrtunty will offer for the remark that the
conductors Of the public press have not abu-
sed the privilege accorded to them. They
rarely can leave their aiduous duties at home
| for the purpose OF a ride upon a railroad even
under the temptation of very pleasant com
Pany. The editor is lucky who, once IA year,
can withdraw himself from his daily tolls to
make an excursion, even when his pen is de-
! sired to mote the proceedings We sup
pose that as n mutter of course, the action of
abolish the dead head system and let no
columns and half columns for the benefits
of railroads appear in their papers without
due compensation. The publishers of newe
papers would be decided gamers by this re-
ciprocal arrangement"
Personally, we ure rejoced that the Rail
road Companies have seen proper to take
this step, and we trust their example will be
followed by Suge proprctors, Steamboat
owners, and all others connected with public
conveyanccs. The idea mas been yer prev
alent that editors more than any other class,
have been the recipients d such courlesics !;
but recent statement by an eastern railroad
company, shows that out of over five thou
sand pas,ea given over that road, but seuenty
OF these were enjoyed by the editorial rratcr-
nifty. During the eleven years we have been
connected with the press we have never re-
ceived nor desired favor of this character
on the ground ol our urpositiun-while during
the same period the use of our columns has
put hundreds of dollars in the pockets of per-
sons connected with these various entsrpri-
ses which would have been hundreds of dol
lars to our advantage, had these items of
courtesy" been charged for as they should
have been. What is true with ourself is also
true with almost every other publisher.
We too, are in for reciprocity; and il we
are fortunate enough to raise the means to
carry us to the editorial Convention to come
of in GAINESVILLE on the 10th and 18th inst
we shall make it our special duty to bring
before that body the subject Of the future
"dead heading" oiRailroad and othor Com
panics. 'Render unto Caesar the things
that are Caesars" is our motto. Adopt a
scale of prices for certain class of"specal"
or complimentary" articles which, under the !
present gratuitous system seem to these
gentlemen % be indispensable, and our word
for il, these Companies will very soon be
made to appreciate the immense advantages
they have heretofore realized from habit of
generosity on the part of publishers, which
hose economists seem 10 think are extended
70 them as a matter of course--done purely
or the good of the public in general aud them.
selves IN particulRr.-AiheRS Messenger.