, 1873-12-14

THE E1dAI AHAlNSI TAE UEAU-HEAu3.
With Tho close Of this ycar tho iead-hcad sya-
tom comes to an ond on the chief railroads Of
the West. The revolt Of the railroads against
tho persistent and postiforous horde of froo-
paRs boEgars began last Juuo. On tho 2Gth Of
that month there was amcoting Of tic managers
Of the Illinois Contlal, thu Burlington i Quincy,
the Rock island, tho Chicago l. Northwestern,
tho Chicago {; Alton, fud the milwaukee, & st.
paul Railways. On behalf Of tneao five Com.
panios it was decided that after tho 3Qth
OF June no more FREQ passos or cleryymon's
half-faro tickets should bo issued. PaasoH al
ready out were not cancolod, and tho Companies
reserved tho right to pass FREQ thoir own enl-
ployes. and to graut exchange passes to tho
officials Of other roads. Tho announcement Of
this reform gavo great satisfaction to the pub
tic. 1l1o opposition to tie movement ca1he from
the deatl-heads, who wero unwilling to accept
tllclr own emancipation from tho attitudo OF
railroads, which doubted tho succoss Of 80 bold
an experiment, aud fcarcd the ofock on their
business Of refusing fayors t6 shippers OF freight
and stock. Tho five Companies namod nboyo,
howoyor, have adhered to thoir agroomont botter
than was expected. The result OF tho first uix
months OF tho HOW plan has beon such aB to COM
mend it to o large number Of the Companies who
ut first declined to adopt 1t. 4 meeting was held
in this city on tho 10Th INST, in Which the aboll
tion Of the pass-systom. with somo notifications,
WAS agreed to by thirteen Of the principal
railroad companies conterng iu Chicago,
Milwaukee, and st. Louis. III addition to tho five
which originated the movement, these Com
panies comprised tho Winona g. St. Petor, tho
Chicago Pokin l. Sous1 western, the Western
Union, tho Gilman, Clinton & Springfield, the
Chicago. Danyille 4 Vincenues, and tho ST.
Louis, Kuuaas City Il Northern Railroads. Tho
agrecment between these thirteen Companies
tRkes effect at tho end OF this month. and coy-
the abolition Of tho whole system Of isauing
froo passon. with these exceptions !. Each road
may grant passss to thu general officers aud
regular salasiod travelling agents Of the
other roa.la. 2. rasBos may be given to
psraons travelling IN charge Of shipments of
atork to destination and return. With these two
exceptions tho thrtoon Companiea pledge them
aolyos ia atlhoro to the spirit Of tho agreemouL
to tio uway With the whole dead-l.ead syatom.
II there IL any loopholo In tho agroament
through which abuses may be expected to creep.
It IL iu the concession Of passas to the regular
salaticd travelling agouts Of tho Companies. a
loose construction Of this olause might easily
ooyor d violation Of tho spirit Of tho agreement.
It may DO fair 10 assume that tho Companies
intend to mniutain thoir resolutions to their full
lnpni.s!,g aud ntont but IL plan better calcll-
lated to protect ts interosts OF tho pooplo would
he for tho Railroad and Warehouse Commits
pionors to require from eycry Company stato-
lnent eacl, year Of nil tho passos 1t had granted
anh on what ground.
Tho OBJECT Of this gratifying action will ho that
nftor tl.s 81Ht Of December tile general public
will feel tint thoy MO all troatol al!ko by the
railroads. Tha awarm Of dsad-leatls, Including
almost oycrY officer Of tho Federal. Btate, antl
local Governments. rmployea Of expscss, freight,
aud transportation companies publishers and
attaches of nowspaperg, mud OF countless inferior
periodical publications. clergymen Of all denomi-
nations, and In short, eysry man who was