Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1858-11-04
RAIt. ROADS.


system has assumed no little prominence -
There is no dOub, thu, thi, system b,. been
greatly abused, but the railroad directors sp
pear to give their attention particularly to
cutting OF the free passes" Of the press,
while they overlook entirely the parties by
whom the abuses Of tho dead heal system
have been specially iuaugurated. We have
always entertained the opinion th,, free
passes were not only actually more eIpen.
''ve to the conductor, Of newspaper. than the
cos, Of tickets for oil their travelling, but 10
= great measure they impaired tn. indepen.
dence Of the press in regard to railway com
Paniss. IL would perhaps be more eeonoro
ical Tor Publishers, and moro u,,ful TO the
public II editors and reporters would pay
their fare. whenever they travel upon rail
roads, and exact payment for all notices
which they publish in regard to railroad mat.
tiers. There is no interest in the country
that from beginning to end is so much de.
pendent uPVn the aid of the pres. a, that Of
railroads. Hardly cue Of tho read. Who's.
iron tracks nov psrncAts the Union could
have been bail, -:::;a Ou, the co operation and
inhn:nce and actual aid Of the newspaper,
IN urging its necessity aud advantage 10 the
people And after their completion they
are continually under obligations TO the pres.
for az insrite variety Of favors Some Of
our roads in this locality Sivo within the
past three months earned Thousands Of dol.
lars from p sssnger travel, that would have
been driven frou them il the Baltimore "a
per. bad published and circulated the minor
accidents that have ,ccurred upon them
The following remarks Of the Richmond
Wing aud the American Railway Time. are
not inappropriate
The Lynchburg TpRiHIaH adverts 10 he
fact that some Of the railroad companie. in
Virgin. have recently Withdrawn from tb.
press the usual snd ordinary courtesy
OfA free ticket upon their roads I, iu,,Iy
remarks that these tickets have been hereto
fore rendered 10 spirit Of rcciprocation Of
voluntary services rendered hy the pres.
aud have been accepted simply as 40 acEuow
.edgment OF these sefyiess, OF TIE part sf
Theses railroads. IL observes further. that
the matter is one Ofsuch triaing i'm por,ance.
peeuniarily, that very little r.fereuce has
been made TO IT, but, .uasmuch a. the call,
Of railroad corporations upon the cour.
~ aud the columns Of the pres have
been none the LEES frequent since the iuau.
guratIon OF The Deu system, II seems l. Nsdly
o'usIstsnt with the self respect Of the pres,
that silence on the subject should shy lon
ger be observed
lhe matter 10 truly Que Of vcry trihiuy
importance TO editors, in 4 pccuuisry nom,
oil view, but 1t nevertheless seem. 10 bsy.
been considered very grave one. for some
reason CT other, on the part Of the Railroad
Companies The two -oais in this STATE
for which the press have done most ana
which have heretofore mad. the most r..
quent aud heavy demsnds upon the columns
oil The press are the VIrgbIa and Tennessee.
aud Central Railroads. Aud yet these are
the very roads which started and nrc..,I
the idea OF Withholding free tickets from tho
press. These are the very Toa = which mani
Tested the most iieeraliiy TO the pre-s aud to
everybody else, 80 long as they needed aid
and which, now they think they are getting
out OF the woods, consider il monstrou.
abuse to extend the urtesy Of free ticket
TO the editorial fraterGity VI bile these
roads we're in pFocre OF c Instruction. their
oheers aud directors were tie most roli,e
the most sccomm odating the most smiling
and the most honey fuEling set II u eu ia lte
whole land. They would press ticket, upon
editors, and couiiouAlly annoy them With ~.
vitaiions TO excursions. aud the like and Al.
most deem It an stiront If We didn't ride
freely and frequently over their roads But
hAvIbg bat little use for editors at present
they have cut them, and cast them of -
Having made nearly all out oftkem that th,y
desire TO make, they have done the hand
some thing, by Withholding their tickets Of
courtesy. 10 . word these two roads are
pretty much Of sWindling shops-or thew
never would have eItorted all the service.
they could out OF the press, during the con.
siruction OF these roSds and then turn round
aud say TO editors that a Teciprocation Of
eourtesiss Is demanded by the interests Of
The road 90 be done away with These two
Railroad Companies. therefore, and every
body connected With them. need special
Watehing-f they would ssindle the rress
they would s~iudle the public generally.
WePubli'h the following on the subjec, Of
the free ticket system from the Ao,0Ican
Ra'ir9y Tise', published at Boston
Almost daily in the management II
bsW'pspsT, the editor is called upon To- give
prominent notice Of change 10 time table.
OF some tEcursicn, Of the repair 81 the road
alter some accident, TO contradict a. CHROME
Gus statement. and 10 various ways 90 al
Veriise edItoTiAlly the business q the differ.
ehi routes For ell services Il th,. kind no
Psy is received IL is fer the interest. II
the 70 de that such notices should he made
While 81 the sawe time 70 !. e,uveti,tce 10
the public The acceptance ~ pa. under
such an undertaking Of the m0tiT,s II The
roads 20 eonfeTTiug u, involves 10 breach n
editorial trust or duty to the public. and in
no manner oblIgatss the editor 20 conceal or
excuse any faults 20 the management or the
policy u tic road
The sul Jet - rsally one u considerable
imroriancs not ouly TO the psttie. immcii
sieiy concerned but TO the public q large.
u tie free pass system induces the pres 1,
saerihes ii' independence - baI better he
abolished entirely Tor u IL essential 20 the
'aisiJ 81 the travelling public tbst q close
censorship should b, exercised upon ralIssv
management Accidents shoud be lresiy
discussed n blame hirly attaches 10 em
ploysss or directors there should he d,
cobctalmobt aud any ufusrc, vh..b