Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-20
Ten Thousand PASSES Yearly.
GREED OF LEGISLATORS AND JUSTICES FOR FREE

Ten Thousand Passes Yearly
GREED OF LEGISLATORS AND JUSTICES FOR FREE
TRANSPORTATION ON RAILROADS.
From the Indianapolis News.
al once supposed that the company owned this
road" said a railroad man OF authority, shut
now know that the legislators and the judges have
first mortgage on it,
Legislators and judges:-
"Certainly. The custom OF giving free transpor-
tatiOn 20 these people has been firmly established
and is so generally INDUCED in that We slaves
it. If We decline to issue passes we put ourselves
almost at the mercy OF persons who at times are
in position to do us damage"
"Why did you ever begin TO extend these favors
from which ii Is so hard 10 break away"
Because that was the cheapest way to buy up
"You confess, then, that these favors are ex-
tended in the hope OF substantial return, Just as
the newspapers have charged for years."
''What Is the use or denying IL? / can show you
some requests for passes THAI Will cause you to
lose faith In oiiice-holders. IL You have any.
have received to-day request for an annual pass
from justice or the peace who says that he has
decided I'm our favor in a suit for damages I'm a
hog case" where it was claimed that We "ran
case man offered to settle in full with US II we
would give him free pass for one year for kill
ing some billy goat" 1t is usual for new county
passes to go around There are only few judges
living along our line OF road that do not ride on
free passes. have known an instance where
judge, In coming from distant point TO try case
against our road at some county seat, wrote US
Tor u pass for himself and family, and intimated
that the favor might bear interest many fold
One county judge some months ago brazenly de-
clared that "if the road expected fair decisions
from the court it must be liberal with its passes"
Justices OF the peace are our toughest customers
The cow and hog cases generally come before
them, and, as rule, they want 10 act as attorney
for the road. One recently asked for pass be
cause he closed the fence bars and kept cattle on
the track. think that the railroads are RESPONSE
bic for this rotten state OF Judiciary for they have
from the first offered these IavOrs rs brides, and
have educated people to think that anything that
can be taken out OF the hide OF railroad corpora
ton is legitimate"
'sTo what ofIicials do the railroads voluntarily
grant paSSeS?"
ave never dream OF refusing legislators and
members OF town councils, and when We want
anything from them we never fail 70 ask Tor IL!
We give passes to county clerks and recorders In
return for Iav0rs they render I'm attending 10 our
records, etc. We have an attorney In each county
seat who frequently Is content TO serve US Tor an
annual pass, unless we have specially important
cases. II We think pass TO q judge VIII 40 any
good we issue II without waiting TO ne asked Not
infreQuently passes offered are refused There are
Judges who remember that they are people serv.
ants There is one In this city who, In time OF
court, goes TO and from Danv1ile every day, and
who win not take pass under any consadera-
ton"
year7n
trip passes, Some OF which ocket two and more
persona"