The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-08-01
A Plank from the State Platform.
In the platform adopted by the re-
publicans of Vermont at their conven-
ton in June is the following plank:

legislature, and all others whose official acts
may concern the rights and interests OF the
railroads, as demoralizing in intent and
tendency. and demand that such practice
be prohibited by law.
OF the evils of practice the re-
publicans of Vermont stamp with the
seal of their disapproval and which
they demand shall be prohibited by
law, the interstate commerce commits
sion, in its first report to the general
government, says:
The evils of free transportation of persons
were not less conspicuous than those which
have been mentioned. This, where it eX-
tended beyond the persons engaged in rail-
road service was commonly favoritsm in a
most unjust and offensive form. Free
transportation was given not only to secure
business, but to conciliate the favor of To-
calities and of public bodies, and while it
was often demanded by persons who had,
or claimed to have, influence which was
capable of being made use of to the preju-
dice of the railroads, it was also accepted by
public officers of all grades and of all
varieties of service. In these last cases the
pass system was particularly obnoxious and
baneful, for If any return was to be made
or was expected of public officers it was of
something which was not theirs to give
but which belonged to the public or to con-
sttuents. A ticket emitting one to free
passage by rail was often more effective in
enlisting the assistance and support of the
holder than its value in money would have
been, and in great many cases it would be
received and availed of when the offer of
money made to accomplish the same end
would have been spurned as bride. Much
suspicion of public men resulted, which was
sometimes just, but also sometimes unjust
nd al aud Iatn rin ion nft ln
moral sense of the community, traceable to
this cause, was unavoidable while the abuse
continued. The parties most frequently and
most largely favored were those possessing
large means and having large business
interests.
The general fact came to be that in pro-
portion to the distance they were carried
those able to pay the most paid the least,
for the poor man had seldom any ground on
which to demand free transportation, while
the rich man was likely to have many
grounds on which he could make il for the
interest of the railroad company to favor
him, and he was sometimes favored with
free transportation not only for himself and
his family, but for business agents also, and
even sometimes for his customers. The de-
| mand for free transportation was often in
| the nature of blackmail and was yielded to
unwillingly and through fear of damaging
consequences from a refusal. But the evils
were present as much when it was extorted
as when it was freely given.
Here is clear and Just statement of
the evils of the free pass system. Read
it attentively. 1t is no idle tale, nc
anarchistic" harangue. These are
the words of body of men invested by
the national government with semi
judicial authority, and entirely compe-
tent, both by reason of their ability and
the powers placed in their hands, to in
vestigate abuses and to come to right con.
clusions respecting them. These gen.
eral specifications of the abuses of the
free pass system apply almost literally tc
Vermont. In any community the gen.
eral characteristics of the evil are the
same. In this state, legislation has been
proposed to correct these evils-some-
times by enactments directly prohibiting
the giving or receiving of free pass
sometimes by measures aimed in
directly at certain phases of the abuse
These proposed reforms have either
failed to receive legislative sanction, OF
the milder remedies provided have
been unavailing. For example, Senator
Stoddard introduced bill at the last
session of the legislature to proven
unjust determinations by railways
Among its provisions was one forbidinl
the giving of free passes to any persons
except to certain railway officials O.
employees, or as an act of charity. TIL,
senate hardly considered the bill at all
The acceptance of railway passes b.
the judges of the supreme court hat
long been subject of public criticism
In extenuation of the practice, the in
sufficiency of the judicial salaries ha,
been pleaded. To remove even tn
semblance of an excuse for accepting
favors from these powerful litigants
the legislature added $500 to the annua
salary of the judges and gave then
yearly $500 more for official expense
while away from home. The passag
of this measure turned upon the tact
understanding that it was designed t
relieve the judges from an allege
necessity" of accepting favors hav
ing a large money value from tn
officials of corporations which are con
stantly before the courts for the settle
ment of important questions of right c
law, between each other or betwee
, them and the people. Without thi
plain understanding it was very doub
, full if the bill for the increase of tn
judicial salaries could pass. With
distinct understanding of this kim
l many members voted for the measul
3 who otherwise would have vote
a against its passage.
s The people of the state notice
/, with surprise and regret that after til
f passage of this act the railways col
tinued to prefer, and the judges to a
i cept, free passes and to use them whe