Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-02-12
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS u, 1888.
Free Passes.


When the House OF Delegates was con-
sidering on Friday last the intra-State
commerce bill MIR. RYAN told the House
that the object of Mr.. PoLLARD's amend
ment was provided for in the bill as re-
ported from the committee which pre-
pared it. That amendment was intended
10 forbid absolutely the issuing OF free
passes to judges. members of the Legis-
lature, &c. Our report explained that
the prohibition Mr.. POLLARD desired was
provided for in section 2, which says that
no railroad company shall give any pre-
ference to or make any discrimination
against any person, &c. that this was
copied from the interstate law. and the
United States commissioners have con-
strued it that no free passes shall be is
sued and that the intra-State commerce
law if it passes will do for Virginia what
the Interstate commerce law does for
the United States.
Mr.. PoLLARD's amendment was clear,
definite, and positive. 1t named tho
persons, or rather the officials, intended
to be reached. 1t did not leave any
question in doubt, nor was it capable OF
being explained away. OF course, al
though almost every member of the
Legislature has free pass in his pocket,
A. ,,tor Ckafa o,mpOoroa opt hos not
been violated but it is assumed that if
the Legislature makes that law apply to
Virginia then the issuing of free passes
will he prohibited in this State.
AS we understand it. the interstate
commerce act forbids only by implica-
ton the issuing Of free passes. We have
before us a copy of the first annual re-
port of the Interstate Commerce Com
mission. On page 10 the report gives,
"shortly stated" "the important pro-
visions of that act" There is no hint
that free passes are prohibited except IN
the paragraphs as to demanding "a
greater or less compensation from any
one or more persons than from any other
for like and contemporaneOus service.
In the index to the report are several
references to "free transportation of per
sons or property" One reference is to
page 7, where the commission gay
that "the evils of free transportation OF
persons were before the passage of the
actl not less conspicuous than those
which have been mentioned" [Of freight
But there is reported no decision touch
ing the question, though it is strongly
implied that these evils ought to he
abated. The next reference is to pages
114-120. We find on pages Hills that
the commission refused to decide moot
questions. "The conductors say that
they fear that they will not receive
free passes as heretofore .; but as
there was no charge of viola
ton of the law, the commission de-
clined to answer the questions. In
another place, the commission give an
epitome of the new law, and add !:
THAT in substance is the interstate
commerce law. There is nothing novel
in these provisions. They simply bring
back the business of the common car
riers to the well-settled principles Of
the common law.
On page Al of the report, the commits
sion use language which is liable to be
misunderstood-as follows:
"In some particulars, as we under
stand has also been the case with similar
statutes in some of the States, it the
Interstate commerce act has operated
directly to increase railroad earnings,
especially in the cutting of of free
passes on interstate passenger traffic.
This is a mere statement of a fact.
The commission do not say that they
have required the cutting off free
passes" but merely that the act had
operated to cut them of. That is, the
railroad companies had for themselves
construed the law to that effect.
Now, we shall not have the presump-
ton to say that the Legislature has on
this subject no other information than
we have; but we shall be excused for
saying that If that body has no. other or
better 7, a5on than We have been able to
find for saying that the Interstate Com
merce Commission have decided that
the using of free passes is forbidden by
the interstate commerce act, then Mr..
PoLLARD's amendment ought 10 be
added to the bill. Let no room be eft
for doubt. Either let the law remain as
il is and allow State officials TO accept all
the free passes they can get, or else make
q law which in terms shall forbid them
10 do so.
Finally, it would not be amiss for our
legislators to ascertain whether the men,
bers Of Congress travel on free-passes or
not. These gentlemen go TO Washing
ton over inter-S State railroads, and can
furnish practical answer TO the question
whether or not the Interstate Commis-
sion have interdicted free passes.