Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-03-07
lancaster fntelligeruer.
WrDNEsDAY EVENING, NAB. 2. lses.
Lei Them be Charitable and Just.

wrDnHsDAY EVENING. NAB. 2. 1888.
Let Them be Charitable and Just.
The state Senate, on the motion OF
Nr. Cooper, has amended the act to pro-
hibIt the issue of free passes by railroads,
which it has under consideration, so as
TO permit their issue for charitable and
benevolent purposes and the amend
ment seems to be proper, or nearly so.
Il would be better If the word s" benevo-
lent " was stricken out; it is not SO
specific as charitable" and the latter
covers the ground sufficiently we'll. No
one and especially no corporation,
should be forbidden to be charitable.
There is no danger that they will
hurt themselves by an excessive ex-
hfbition of the virtue. Free as rail-
road officers are with their passes to those
who can help them, they are excessively
costive in their issue when their only in
centive comes from charity.
And there is no danger that harm will
come to the state by reason of it's permit
ting and encouraging railroad companies
In the issue of free passes for charitable
objects. There can be little dispute as
to what charitable object is; certainly
q member of the Legislature, judge, an
-oe6eer Of a city or of the state, or
anyone in official position, and with
q salary that will give him bread, is not
such an object. We have no fear that
any Judge will so decide if the railroad
company should try such a plea in de-
fense of it's violation of the law; nor do
we apprehend that any official will ever
be 80 graceless as to ask free pass on
the ground that he is an object CT charl'
ty. There is a great deal more danger
of an abuse of the law by the permission
of the exception that railroad employees
NAV travel free. That might be stricken
out to the advantage of the bill for the
railroad would not suffer if its officials
paid their fare, since they receive it ;
and a fruitful source of evasion of the
law would he stopped.
In objecting to the amendment allow
that no one would think of applying the
penalty of the law to a railroad officer
who violated it in the real interest OF
charity; but that is very lame thing
to say. 1t is the duty of the Legislature
to pass laws which can be properly obey
ed in their letter and spirit; and th'
very last thing they should think of do
ing should be to. o.prohibit to be done il
all cases what they desire to be done il
some cases and to put the responsibilit.
upon the citizen of deciding when th'
law is to be violated with impunity
Honorable senators who do not know
better than this how TO frame just law
had better give up the business: an'
we are surprised to hear that the senate
who in this case suggested that 4 Law
should be made to be broken was JOhl
Stewart; but, perhaps there is mis-
take of the reporter.
An objection made to the proposed act
itself, forbidling free passes, is that
can be readily avoided by the railroa
companies issuing passes for nOmina
consideration. Possibly it may, thong
it is hardly probable that they would b
ready to so openly show their disposition
to violate the spirit of the law and
they did it too palpahly the judiciar
would not sustain them. Moreover, th
constitution requires the Legislature t
punish the issuing of passes alta discoun
as we'll as of free passes a Requirement
that will, by the way, require the Legis
lature to make statutory definition c
a railroad 4" pass" as it obviously wi
not do to prohibit the issue of tickets a
q discount.
But why cannot the Legislature pas
q law for the transportation of bot
men and merchandise which will forbi
unjust discrimination /? What more
needed than to declare that passenger
and freight, in like cars and like quaint
ties, in like directions, shall be carrie
over all railroads in the state for lik
price per mile, and that the accommod;
tions of the railroads Shall be open aliII
to all men who offer for them lik
price ? 1t does not seem Impossible
draft law in brief language and in or
section that will secure that equalit
among the citizens of the state in the el
ioyment of the facilities of the railroad
that the state has chartered, which
their clear right in free and demo
cratic government.
THE general appropriation bill intr,
duced at Harrisburg provides for legi
.-lative session of one hundred days, an
il the important business now in variol
stages of dispatch in both Houses can /
finished up by the 10Th of April it will
a consummation most devout!y to |
wished, but it is very doubtful whethe
this can be accomplished. The peop'
are indispbsed to long sessions Of K.
Legislature the last Assembly outlive
>its usefulness and incurred Odium b