The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-08-22
The Republican Platform and
Free Passes.

The republican state convention, at
its recent meeting, adopted resolution
relating to an existing abuse of railway
management and privileges-the giving
of free passes. The party has SOL
EMMY declared that the practice should
be promptly discontinued, and, in
certain specified cases, prohibited by
law" Individuals are inquiring if the
declarations of the state convention
respecting free passes are made for eff
feet only, or do they indicate sincere
and determined purpose of the repre-
sentatives of the party to reform the
evils of free transportation of persons?
We believe the people are in earnest
in this matter. The giving and taking
of free passes in the manner described
by the state platform is justly regarded
both as an abuse of charter privileges
and an offense against public morals.
In former article we referred to the
Intellectual efforts made in the legis
lature in times past to reform this abuse,
and the failure of sugar-coated expe-
dent adopted at the last session to cor
rect scandalous phase of the evil-the
acceptance and use of passes by the
judges of the supreme court. Hence
the imperative demand by the people
of the state for the legal prohibition of
pass-giving and pass-taking as to all
state officers, including members of the
legislature. The people believe the
practice in general is a great wrong
from any point of view. Why should
one part of the communicated it is
generally the part that is best able
to pay-be singled out for and given
free transportation, not only for its in
dividual members but frequently for the
members of their families and their
employees or attaches? So reason the
plain people who buy their railway tick
cts and who feel that they are taxed to
pay for the transportation of the ia
vored part of the community.
In respect of the judges of the SUI
preme court and all persons connected
with any branch of the state govern
ment, the practice assumes more
aggravated aspect. A man goes up to
the seat of justice, pays for his trans
portation, and, if he is party to a suit
in which the railway is interested-if
his cattle have been run over by rail-
way train, if he has been injured in a
railway accident, if the railway has
appropriated his property to its own
use and the question of remun Grafton
is in dispute-he has to submit his
cause, his legal rights, to adjudication
before a magistrate that is receiving
and using, yearly, favors having large
money value from the other party to
the suit. Is not this, indeed, scandal
GUS state of things? Is it matter of
wonder that an important suit against
one of the railways in this state was
recently brought before I'm tied States
tribunal instead of the Vermont SUI
preme court? Would farmer submit
his rights in a cause against grocer to
a jury that was receiving free gifts of
family groceries from his opponent
Would a merchant, against farmer
who had creased the legal machinery
with tub of butter?
Now if the judges, or any other state
official from the governor downward,
have not nicer moral sense than is
indicated by the continued accep lance
and use of valuable favors from power
full litigants or parties to great interests
demanding official action, the CIV
ing and taking of passes should be
prohibited by law" 1t should be pro-
hibited anyway, and the prohibition
should be made general, and the rail
ways themselves should be the first to
respond with glad amenl If the PEG.
pie desire to CIRCULATE the railways,
the state officers or the public generally
as to this matter of passes, if they are
in dead earnest, they must cleo to the
legislature men who will obey in
structions, who will not bend or dodge
| or be cajoled when they come to the