Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1886-02-12
LEaIsLATYNe ON FEE PASSES.


LEGISLATING ON FREE PASSES
Two measures have been introduced in
She Virginia legislature which ought TO
receive prompt consideration. One, in the
House. is an effort to get oyer the free
railroad pass business. by instructing a
committee to bring in a bill requiring
RAILROAD and other transportation compa-
MES to furnish free passes 'ver their lines"
to all members of the General Assembly
and judges of this Commonwealth during
their term of office. This ought to be
waste-basketed. The other is bill in
troduced, making it misdemean"r
punishable by fine of from 500 to ST. 600
for legislators or judges to accept free
passes and for railroad men to furnish
them such passes. Between these two
modes Of solving the free pass question,
in this that their interests have the best
chance to be- attended 20 speedily and with
unbiased Judgment. The free pass is
standing impediment to RAPID transac-
tion of business. for a legislature al
ways has certain percentage of homt-
going members who find in the pass an if
resistible temptation to exercise that pro-
pensity. Again, as a matter of unqu-s-
tlonabls prOpriety, no man has right to
make, construe Or execute the laws of the
the State affecting any interest, with a
gift from that interest already in his
POCKET. There is nothing so, Draconian
in this code either, it is the busl less view
taken by the world, without any regard ="
the morality of the situation. An arbi-
traitor or a referee in a business transac-
ton found to have received tie slightest
gift from either side, would be at once re-
moved from bis position. With what
sense of prOpriety then can legislator or
judge hold gift from a corporation for
which he either makes or construes laws.
What service does he expect t, render for
it? None ? Then how can he saeri ice
his self-respeet by taking charity. What
right has either uf them above that Of a
private citizen to expect a gift from cor
poration 7 And it they do not get it a.
private citizens then they must take it a.
legislator or Judge with all that that i'm
plies. Railroads give free passes for bu
two th1ngs-a consideration, or charity
The yearly ticket they exchange with the
newspaper editor is for years space in
his advertising column. Take out thr
advertisement and the ticket is at au eud.
The proposition to avoid the sacrifice OF
the free ticket and yet save the self-respsc'
of the legislator and judge. 10y requiring
the roads to provide them free passes, IS alb
surd. The State Of Virginia cannot make
the railroads carry a passenger or pound
of freight without she pays them for it =
The foolish Railroad Commissioners bill
now before the legislature. IN which the
railroads are required to pay the salaries OF
the commissioners, is piece of folly that
the roads can put an end to any day they
choose to refuse to pay the salaries and
take the matter into Courts. If the State
can make the roads pay the commissioners
salaries, they C TN also maze them pay Che
Governors, Attorney Generals, and other
Ulcers of the State. If the State eau CON-
mand the roads to carry the legislators
free, it can also demand of them that they
carry the military, all the State officers.
constables, treasurers- thing.
We trust the bill making it a INSIDE
meanor for legislator or judge to accept
free pass from railroad may become
law. We cannot say our expectations are
very high, but somehow it seems that
there ought to be enough Of tone left in
Virginia legislature to make it possible.