The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1886-05-27
The Free Pass must go!

W. nave ulTtuuN sull from llihc W Univ
on this fruitful theme. We do this be-
cause we want to see square issue
made on this rank abuse, and a law pass
ed absolutely forbidding the issuing of
a free pass under any circumstances
whatever. II is utterly unbusincss-likc
to begin with. No good business man
or firm, big or little can be found that
does any thing like it in the manage
ment of his own affairs. If they re-
quirc any service from any man, or any
body of men, they go into the market
and buy that service and pay for it at
its fair market value, and when this is
done all obligations end, The merchant
does not give to the man who does him
a service, or through favoritism, free
right to go into his store and help him
self, without money or price, to what
ever he wants for year, with a renew
al of the privilege for an indefinite
number of years. The man who should
do this would be sent TO the insane as
sylum'at once, and very properly too.
But this is just what our railroad boss
es are doing constantly, only they do it
for no service at all rendered to their
railroads, but for political services to
themselves as individuals. The whole
thing is gross wrong in principle, it
unjustly and arbitrarily takes what be-
longs to one man or set of men and
gives it to another; and, as practiced
here in Vermont, is q corrupting pow
er that has debauched and lowered the
standard of political independence and
integrity.
Who are the men in Vermont, as n
rule, that ride on Free Passes? Aside
from high state officers, Judges of the
Supreme Court, members of the legis-
laturc and officers of other roads, the
great majority of free riders, and dead
heads, Mot TO say deadbcats,) in Yer
mont to-day and in years past, are the
trading, wire-pulling caucus-packing
schcmers-thc political mercenalics and
pensioners-who make politics the
chief business of life, and who can be
depended upon to give implicit obedi-
cnce to all orders emenating from the
great political boss from whom the
passes and other political crumbs come.
Now we take the high and sweeping
ground that no free passes ought ever
TO be issued under any circumstances
whatever; and certainly not to any
officers of the state whose official action
might possibly have to do with railroad
interests. 1t is burning shame that
the Judges of our Supreme Court and
other judicial officers should year after
year accept from railroads favors whose
direct money value to each Que of them
is from 800 to $500 per year, while
constantly called upon to administer
impartial justice between said railroads
and private citizens. What would be
thought of the Judge who should ac-
cept 800 or $500 from one party to a
suit to be tried before him between two
private citizens? How long would such
Il Judge occupy seat on the bench after
his gift-taking was known? Not an
hour after his degradation could be le-
gally accomplished. Is it any less out
rageous when one of the parties to the
suit, and the gift-giver, is q great rail-
road monopoly? This practice Of re-
cciving passes by our judges is an old
one, and is excused and attempted to
be justified, on the ground thatthc State
pays her her judges such niggardly sal
aries that they arc obliged to do this in
order to live. If this is so it is a dis
graceful fact that should be wiped out
without delay. Let the salaries be raised,
if necessary, or let all railroad fares be
paid by the judges and refunded to them
by the State, in addition to their sal
aries. But let the giving and taking of
such gifts be peremptorily stopped.
And all other State officials should be
prohibited, under heavy penalties, from
accepting any free pass OF other gift
from railroads, or any favors of any
kind not accorded to all other citizens !;
and especially should this prohibition
extend to all members of the legislature,
from whom the railroads are constantly
seeking special favors. This is so plain
proposition on its face that it needs
no argument to sustain it. And there
fore we say, as we have said before,
send no man to the legislature who
rides on q Free Pass, and keep sharp
eye on any man who, after his election,
accepts any personal favors from the
railroads, or any other corporations,
that may want favors from him. 1t
is customary always to give Free Pass
es to the chief officers of connecting
railroads and to high railroad officials
generally. There can be no good areu-
ment in favor of this practice. Nobody
gains anything by it, and many abuses
grow out of it. If every railroad Off
cial, when travelling Oh railroad bust
ness, even over his own road, were COM
peeled to pay the regular fare, like any
body else, and be allowed to charge il
up to his road as part of his expenses,
no injury would be done to anybody OF
any road, but vast sums would be saved
by this adherence to true business meth
DDS, and an enormous source of bust.
ness and political corruption would be
dried up. Therefore we repeat that the
Free Pass ought to be absolutely pro-
hibited under any circumstances what.
ever; and especially that all State Off.
Gals, judges and members of the legis.
lature ought to be forbidden, under Sc.
we're penalties, to accept any pass or
gift from any railroad, or any other ia