Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-02-15
Wednesday Morning, Feb. Is. 1882.
..FREE PASSES, IN IOWA.

The Railroad Commissioners of Iowa were
directed by the Legislature to inquire into
the free pass system of the railroads, and re-
port concerning it. They inquired and have
reported, and their report is, to say the least,
well worth reading. The points they were
ordered to report upon are the following:
81. Whether free or reduced rates of fare
should be given to any class of citizens ex-
cept paupers, mendicants, or other proper
objects of Christian charity and benevolence
''2. Whether persons elected to public Of
fee by the people, or members of the press,
or political conventions of any kind, shall be
allowed to accept these favors.
's3. Whether the railroad companies should
be restrained from issuing passes to public
officers or members of political gatherings or
conventions of any kind at reduced rates of
fare.
= 81. Whether any or what limitation should
be placed on these practices by law.
''5. If the commissioners deem this to be
wholesome and legitimate practice. that
they give this body their reasons for such be.
lief"
The Commissioners say that paupers and
mendicants are not given free passes or re-
duced rates on Iowa railroads, and that the
only objects of Christian charity and benev-
olence who are allowed this privilege are
clergymen. The Commissioners defend the
practice of allowing clergymen to travel at
half-rates on the ground that ''The preacher
is engaged in the certainly laudable employ
ment of teaching good morals and raising the
standard of character in the community in
which he lives. For this service he is paid
by the voluntary contributions of those who
raeyoot bic sy,irituol o,,d orc 70
full for his instructions. This we do not re-
gard as charity, for he renders an equivalent
for all that he receives as fully as laborers in
any other profession The Commissioners
believe that editors should have free passes
las payment for advertising or such notices
of the roads as seem to be an equivalent"
They declare that the sentiments of the peo-
pie of the State is in favor of reduced rates
for members of political conventions because
'under republican form of government
the best results are attained where two polit-
ical parties are nearly equally balanced, and
where each, to gain or maintain supremacy,
finds it necessary to nominate for positions
of public trust its ablest and purest men, and
advocate measures that each can demonstrate
and lone method of keeping up these party
organizations is through the instrumentality
of political conventions, where men from all
parts of the State meet for interchange of
views and for general discussion of public
policy" The Commissioners add in this
connection that the Legislature has no power
to prevent members of the press or delegates
to conventions from taking free passes.
They also profess to think that there is some
doubt about the right of the Governor, judges
or members of the Legislature to free pass,
and whether the motives of the legislators in
taking passes are pure or not they think that
"each member of the General Assembly can
best determine for himself"
AS ''an abstract proposition the Commits
sionsrs consider the free pass system bad
one, but they think that it cannot be dealt
with as an abstract proposition. Several
States have, however, thus tried to deal with
it, among them California. The California
constitution contains the following: mo
railroad or other transportation company shall
grant free passes or tickets at discount to
any person holding an Office of honor, trust
or profit in this State and the acceptance of
any such pass or ticket by a member of the
Legislature or other public officer, other than
railroad commissioners, shall work forfeit
ure of his Office" The Commissioners regard
this clause in the California constitution as
the best model for a legislative enactment.
1t will be observed that it provides for free
passes for railroad commissioners
Some people in Iowa believe that this re-.
port is not the result of deep study of the
subject it discusses, but that the man who
wrote it has allowed himself to be funny.
But even if this be so, the report loses none
of it's effectiveness