News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1882-04-13
THE RAILROAD DEADHEADS.
The Whole State of Iowa Showered
with Free Railroad Passes,

The Whole State of Iowa Showered
with Free Railroad Passes.
In the speech of the Hon. Charles
AIdrich in the Iowa House
of Representatives, the deadheads of
the State were classed as follows:-The
great danger which arises from this
American system of official deadheading
comes from its alarming extent. Every
Judge of the Supreme Court of the
United States is an official deadhead.
And not only are the Supreme Judges
and all other Federal Judges official
deadheads, but "the courtesy" takes
IN their relatives and personal friends,
Then the Cabinet officers are also bright
and shining examples of this American
system, with only here and there an old
fogy who don't believe in it. Most of
the United States Senators and
members of the House of Representa-
tlVes sail in the same boat, with a goodly
accompaniment of relatives, friends,
dependents, and hangers on. Then,
go through the departments and you
will find hundreds, most likely
thousands, of people who have no
trouble in securing free railroad
transportation to their homes and re-
turn, no matter how distant they may
be. Especially is this true with regard
to those officials who have something
to do with the railroad land grants,
The entire public service of the general
Government is rife with this abuse,
which railroad attorney of this city
told me not long ago was So simple
courtesy due to position p Whenever
man gets into a responsible Office,
where he has relations with the people
on one hand and with corporations on
the other, it is educ to his position -
that he shall have favors.
The oil of official deadheadism greases
the wheels of all our State courts. Our
State Supreme Judges draw their passes
upon the hapless conductors with all
the facility OF practiced hands. Some
times when going to court in body.
they fire by platoons! Our District and
Circuit Judges, with only one excep-
ton, are the happy recipients of all
these courtesies due to position. p"
Neither the Attorney, General nor the
District Attorneys are left out in the
cold. The wise old professional bailiff,
especially he who has become wrinkled
and scraggy, and smoke-dried in the at
mosphere of courts, occupies no mean
or Insignificant place as IN official dead
head. Everybody, seemingly, has a
pass except the poor client. His share
is to pay the costs, and as he has NO
position he gets no "courtesies.
Every State officer, and every clerk In
every State Office, has or may have his
name placed on the roll of official dead
heads. Your Board of Railroad Com
missioners are also deadheads of the
first water. Within the State by law,
and out Of it by 'the courtesy due to
position" they may travel free with
their families.
Then the State Senators and Repre-.
sentatives, the law makers. though to q
more limited extent, come IN for these
"courtesies due to position" If the
officers of the State Senate and House
do not have the same favors they are
themselves to blame. At the opening
OF this session an unsuccessful candi
date for Clerk of the Railroad Commit.
tee, am told, exhibited pile of passes
considerably thicker than pack Of
playing cards. Then there are many
county and municipal off GERS whose
hats are also "chalked." I do not know
how extensive this may be, but it includes
in many instances Sheriffs, County Su.
pervisors, the city Coun ellis, and Board
OF Aldermen.
The Ilneof deadheadisln-sst the cour-
tesy due to position ends, 1 believe
with township assessors. I am unable
to trace it any further down, but the
trustees of townships and the sub di
rectors of school districts may live in
hope. If they can only manage to hold
their offices few years longer, the ever
widening circles of free passism may yet
take them in. When heard that the
list of official deadheads included town.
ship assessors could hardly credit it.
But think that any patientinvestigatol
in that direction would be rewarded
with discoveries which would astound
him. do not believe that the gener-
ality of these officers have free passes,
but on some of the roads where the cor.
porations have laid out towns, and owl
lands and lots, passes have been issued
to assessors. Not only do all the officers
1 have named receive these courtesies
due to position" but the list includes
many of their friends.
In almost any county seat you. will
find men who are influential enough to
obtain these favors year after year. II
one has case IN court against a railroad
company, of course the attorney against
you will have command of these instru-
mentalities to any extent he pleases,
and the'instinct to use them in paving
his own way to professional success few
men have the power to Withstand. If
you could look into the pockets of the
jurors you might possibly find that they
were likewise supplied with these
courtesies due to position" The
chances would be that your own attor-
ney-especially if he had position and
ability-would be also ON the free list.
This picture of the extent of this sys.
tenn is not exaggerated or overdrawn.
1t affords topic for study and refec-
ton worthy of the mightiest considera-
| ton.