Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1885-12-17
DAILY POST INTELLlGENcER
WHAT RIGHT has TnG PtsIt
TO eEJECTT


istors Tbs 10 the question that h
dshan.ly asked By Legislators Who have
been provided With trzHsportation'
whenever a citizen ventures 10 suggest
thar the acceptance Of sush favors IL
not exactly the proper thing. What
right has the p7bIic 70 obieetf IL 10
ss.ouishine tha, such a question should
be aaked By the servants Of the poblie'
bat IT 10 asked, nevertheless for
tnna,ely, however. it IL anything bot
difieult question 20 answer
The Legislators are bsred By the Gov
eminent TO perform certain Eors- ="
this work they receive ample paJ. IL is
no, expected that they shall receive Ad-
ditiouaI pay. Especially Is It not Ell
pecssd that they shall receive pay
sither 10 money or service, froa CDR
pora.ions which are almost invariably
Interested ia she legislation OF a session
and which prefer their fAsofs IN order
that they may obtain = hold. however
slight, upon the Legislators This qass-
ton ia broader than Washington Terri
tory. I. IL not alone the Legislators Who
ara nou 10 session at Olympia ~ho are
involved, nor il the Northern Pacific the
only railroad which seeks to inRrasiAte
itself With those in power by the cheap
method Of Offering them free trans
portation. Unfortunately the practice
isa common one, bot thai IL no justin
cation for it. Ga the contrary the
more 1t 10 practiced, the worse Is be-
comes.
IL is particularly Of the evil As II e1-
ists in our Territ5ry, however. that We
desire 10 speak. Here almost. II not
quite, all the passes given to Legislators
are issued by the Northern Pacific Rail
road Company company which has
openly declared that 1t issues no passes
sxospt in consideration Of services rem
dered or 20 DO rendered. 10 Is not easy 70
zee how O Legislation can accept pass
In the face Of such q declaration and
vet retain his self respect. IL be ao-
ospt IL intending to render, a. return
20 the railroad, such services as he Is
able. he knowingly accepts bride
which 10 90 pitifui and mean that one
would think 1t would fail 10 tempt
starving thief. II be socspt It know
ing the condition upon which Il Is Is
saed, kaowine that the company will
sxpecs return for 1t. and resolving not
10 make such retarn II ths opportunity
effers. he ID cheating the company IN q
manner 90 pi,ifui aud mean that one
would think IL would bring blush OF
shame even to the cheek OF Ferdinand
Ward.
IA must be remembered that these
passes are given, not 10 the men Who re
ceive them, bot to the Legislators. MI
Smith, or Mr.. Jones 10 ordinarily oil
very small eonss qsencs. and the rail'
road officials never dream Of Offering
him q free pass. but as soon as Mr.
Smith or Mr.. Jones' Ia elected TO the
Legislature. the passes are offered t.
him quickly enough. They are offered
TO him In his character a. = Legislator
and In that character he receives them
A return is expected from him, not as 4
man. bot as q Legislator; and this 70
turn very eften cannot be made II as 4
Legislator he performs his duty to ,h,
people. IL Is too much like serving Coo
and Mammon.
II q railroad company chooses TO Is
sue a pass 10 merchant who Is a hsss,
shipper, 10 10 the eompany's business
and the merchants. IL IL q device on
the part Of the company to secure trade
and is probably no more Questionable
than the custom OF giving away chro
mos and cheap ieweiry. The merchant
accepts the pass, snd in return is ex
pccsed 10 discriminate in the shipment
Of bic goods in favor OF the compan,
which issues IL. When the pass is offer
ed 10 q Legislator TO influence his act,
asa Legislator, however, the affair !,
entirely different. 10 10 no longer q
matter between the company which is
sues the pass and the man who receive,
%. 10 becomes at once matter In
which the people are directly inter esied
They have a right 10 ask, "why 10 that
psss given your What return for II Dc
700 expect 10 maker"
There 10 another phase 30 this question
however. The government has pro
vidsd literally for ,he travelling
expenses OF members Of the Legislature
Ii has established q rate of mileage
which is amply Sufficient TO allov them
10 travel 10 and from shisr homes In
The beat style. This should make
them independent of the managers Of
the routes Of travel between their home,
and the Capital. SUCH vas obviously
the intestion. In spite Of this PROV
sson, however, the Legislators iasisi
upon placing themselves under obliea
tions 10 the railroad and steamboat
eompanies Of the Territory. They MOI
snly Accept the provision which th,
Government has made fog their travell
ING expensss. bas they accept ~ gel
the provision which she companies have
made. Way shsald rsemeer frou
SPOKANE Falls or wslla wailA rsceiv,
fro@ the Government q sum Of money
largely in excess Of hat received BY ,
nenhsr from Olympia or raeomAi ii,
performs no additional service. II.
ineurs no extra expense Why, then
should be be thus fAvoredl OF eoarss
the additional pay Is given him 10 cove
bis travelling expenses. eas The con-
psnies which desire bis good oil az
kind enough to reduce these sxpesss'
10 nothing. IL This rishtp L. IL ,ast I,
other memhsrs OF 10 the pahiie
A member Of the Legislature woal,
be ashamed 10 seknosl~<ise that be IA,
received brsee OF eandrsd dollar.
Why should be not te saasily ashams,
10 acknOaledee thai he had rv,,Sy.A