New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-05-03

a
Th @ nepnpot know the members OF Congress,
as they wear no badges. but feOwpassenger saw the
named in the pass peaohed him, as 1t Is termed on
the road There il no mode OF securing Vic I9au
inc frauds upOn its revenue resulting from the transfer
| aud sale of passes To send passes 10 iriend Id
| common thng. ,,,,,,
peporterI should like TO see some of these letters.
Mr. C1ark-I have nexer exhibited these letters,
cent TO Committee of the Board OF Directors and to
the secretaries make answer TO them. Perhaps the
writer's regard them confidential and prefer not to
show them give ofense often enough by declining to
give away the passenger fares Some recognize the pro
pety OF action while Others denounce the refusal as
an act OF meanness.
Reporter-Wbat induced the Company take this firm
MI CiarE-Weil the truth is the abuse had become
monstrous that IL bound 20 TO END. The re-
cent action vi Congress IN directing the Secretary OF the
Treasury TO withhold payment Of all compensation for
Government transportation and the mail service caused
a serious deficiency of revenue The payment OF the
passenger fares absolutely necessary TO provide the
money pay the expenses of running the passenger
trains. The passenger service ON tins road can DC ah
tanned only by means of the passenger fares We there
fore determined on the thorough abrOgaon of the free
pass system as one measure OF economy ana me giving
sex, or previous condition of servttude." go,
Reporter-Are you not apprehensiye that you WIZ en-
counter difficulties from the Government or Congress by
nfrendly legislation you persist in the refusal to gave
the passes TO official personagesi -
Mr.. Clark-Well | do not know exactly what the eX,
tent the danger is We have been told that it would
ruin the Company TO refuse TO issue free passes Dut we
know that to continue to issue them as heretofore WOMB
ne certain ruin We had TO choose therefore, between
possible and inevitable destruction, and we chose the
former All the excuse we have TO give Is snat ~ Ws
10 determine either TO discontinue tho running
Of the passenger trains or TO continue TO run then h
require the payment OF the passenger aISs. we ~
that BEST in the interest Of the Government tue
train service and exact the payment or passenger
! fares, and take the consequences all around -, a.,
Reporer-I have been told that free passes TOT the
Judges of the United States and Territorial Courts nave
| been applied for and been granted; .,,,..-. To-
Mr.. Clark won't be positive but thlnk passes lo
some of the Judges have been applied for. am nOi
certain whether they were granted or not II We cou
afford 20 give passes 20 any class OF Onclas Wouu
aud have q great respect for that class of men know
that decisions would not be influenced in our favor
from having accepted them, # We were IN the wrong.
| { am only appreuensiye they might feel some empar-
rassment, il they accepted the sits III decdlhE III our
| Reporter-How about the states and Territories It'd
Mr Cark-Tne Union Pacific Railroad does not extend
much through the States The epidemic OF Tree travel
ug does, think extend 10 the Territories THIS Tree
/ pass epidemic is universal
POSSIBLY 4 CRIMINAL oFFENsE.
Eeportcv-I heard it said that tle giving away Of
passe, 20 any Senator Member or any Judge or Gov
eminent officer after his election appointment, IS
criminal oiense under act of Congress and that the
! Poland Committee held that the distribution OF the
Credit Mober stock among Members Of Congress would
have bcenS good ground Tor conviction uhdcr tue ac'
| How Is tins
of Congress Of 1885, which provides substantially mat
The giving away any valuable thing 10 any Senator
Representative, Government official, with intent 10
influence MS ACTON a. any mater when may ~ W oT
before him tor his official action Is crime Inc SAINT
also q Crlue punishable IN ike manner. The POlahd
Committee dd deal with the matter of free passes
They treated the subject Of the distribution 81 CItut
Alo6ler stock Taking the Of giving free passes
within tn act OF Congress 10 must first be determined
was made with tue intent 10 influence official
action. 1t IL my impression that free passes
have been common That Jlcy cannot, without forced
construction, be deemed valuable timing, nor 40 thA
quite lair 10 assume that they are syen 10 influence
official action, Tor all know they don't But how the
old Romans who constituted the Poland committee
would decide such question: OF now pet9 Jaiy' III
I .l. In try an lUUI I'd
would determine it, iJ is not 50 easy to say Again. the
distinction has Deen taken D5 appcAhts Of Tree passes
that the gift Of free pass Is courtesy ana NOT Ndu-
Eportei-If these free passes are not given inu-
euce the action Judges senator's representatives. and
Government officials pray tell me Ior what purpose they
Mr. Gark-You are rather crowdng now, and Won
must lot up. Tne true reason, suppose, why very many
OF these passes been gwen, IS from an apprenen-
sion perhaps not well founded, OF dangers to come But
viii admit that examination Of that act which hrst
came my notice In the report OF the Poland Commit
tee the conclusion that was safer not 10 give
them han to give them aud defend upon tue technical
Reporter-Win the Company adhere TO It's present
policy relative to free passes or viii 1t by ana by aDan-
Mr. Cark-You may rest assured it viii maintain its
present position ana abide the cOnseq uenccs.
EepOrIer-DO you think that the Uuion Pacific Rail
road Company would have ventured TO abrogae the free
pass system but for the deficiency OF revenue resulting
rom the withholding OF Inc Government money
Mr.. Clark rather doubt whether IT would.
RepOrtcr-Whyg
Mr. Clark am afraid we should not have had nerve
enough and sense enough 10 have done IL
interests Of the country Of the iree-pass system nov
prevalent throughout the United States
MIR Clark-MOst melancholy ana destructive. IL serl-
Osy iupars their revenues renders the passenger ser
wee Of very many railroads unremuncrauye deinor-
azes employees cheats the stockholders embarrdsses
the Of public men VINO come within the range ot
its influence dsgusts portion of the people pay
their fares and inics numberlrss injuries upon railroad
properties, without one particle OF compromising benefit
PECULIAR LBEBALrI.
Reporter-In what does 1t demOralizc the
plOyGsi
MI Clark-When they find the executive officers Of
corporation making free with gifts Of its property,
thev become tempted indulge in the luxury them
selves TO give OF ones means IS sometimes pleas
ant The giving away of other peoples property is by
some regarded delightful The passenger fares OF
railroad corporation are as nuch itS property a. the
money in the treasury.
ReporteI-Will this freepass system De likely to con
TIME other railroads or viii 1t by ana by be abo!-
Nh Ciark-I really do not know. Railroad, fire.
quentiy managed by men VINO nave 10 substantial inter
est in the property. By means of giving away free
pss.cs they practice hDeIaliy az the expense OF
other people. luey can popullile lnemtiVes MIihOut
cost 10 themselves, for the resulting loss idls upon stock
holders ana DOndhOders. Cicero mentions that Catilne
pro1se OF te properly OF other people as nc wac
mean end ggardiy OF MS own SOmc OF our railroad
managers endowed with that one OF Catines vir-
tues Tne competition OF competing iIcigd lines tends
largely TO the maintenance OF the Tree pass system.
gallon In tins OF the Union Pacific Railroad there
was no middle ground because Of the conditions of the
road Iud tTdh between making the road 4Icc on
acting all the pay mcnt OF tue passenger des 10
pcrnll great numbers whom business or pleasure
dignity influence wealth. aud 10 impose the burden OF
n. aS, niger service upon poor aud humble settlers
along the line VINO all compelled 10 pay their fares.
was most unwise ami unjust discrimination II ought
Ia 10 reversed. equally wrong to place upon the
freight transportation the burden Of nOnsuppOrtiHS
Messenger service. Tue aJrOgaOn of free passes aud
The inercess cXactOD OF tho passenger fares viii per
mi the gradual reduction 81 the rates of freight
ReportcTls TINS rce-pias ~ stem common ia Europe!
Air CIark-I think moi. am tod that tncrc a. Is
wholly unknown. Tus form Of mcndicIncy peculiar
to America IL Is the pest aud peru Of cur railroad
lem Ii cannot well be abolished upon our railroads
cent by the ACTON OF the managers Of the
great competing nnes. No single line would venture