The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1889-05-07
RAILWAY PASSES.

The interstate commerce commission IS
endeavoring To ascertain from the railway
managers how many passes the latter issue
and why they issue them. 1t is doubted
that the commission will get at the facts,
but admitting that the whole truth will be
learned, what can the commission do about
itl What should be done about it! We
know what will not be done. We know
that the number of passes will not be re
duced and that there will be just as many
free rides whatever the commission may
attempt in the premises. And
why shouldn't there be! There is
any amount of misrepresentation and
nonsense about the free pass business,
and lots of very inconsiderate and foolish
bowling Railroads are managed on bust
ness principles: that is TO say, those roads
which are successful are so managed. The
interest of the stockholders is apparent in
the minds of those in active control To
make money is why the roads were built
and operated. and to make it for those
whose money is invested. Factories and
mills are built and run for money making
purposes, and men engage in merchandiz-
ing and other business because of the
money they expect to make for them
selves. In .railroading as in other
business enterprises, something is not
given for nothing. The merchant
who throws in with your purchase some
thing which you do not buy does not think
he is giving YOU something outright, nor
does he expect to charge the next customer
more in order to make himself whole for
what he has bestowed on you. He gives, -
if YOU choose to call it a gift, because it is
to his interest TO do so: it is business, and
he expects to make money by it, if not out
of you, certainly through the gift.
And so with the railroads-they are not
giving free passes to anybody If they
furnish transportation to anybody, it is
because it is to their interest to
do it. They expect value received,
directly or indirectly, for every
pass they issue, and they are rarely
disappointed. In most instances the return
is direct and unmistakable. Passes are
given because it is business to give them;
it is in the interest of stockholders and
brings money into the treasury. The Gus
tom may be abused at times by a corrupt or
incompetent employee or official of the
road, but these instances are the rare ex-
ceptions to the rule Wise business dis
elimination is generally practiced, and only
those get passes who are able and will
ling to reciprocate or who must be pre-
vented by this means from doing harm.
The issuance of passes being one of the
means of doing business, what right has
the law maker to prevent the practice!
What would be said of statute which
would forbid the giving Of passes to circuses
and dramatic and other shows! or, of a
law which prohibited advertising. or, of one
which made it criminal for clothier to
throw in" underwear and furnishing with
a suit of clothes!
We know it isn't orthodox to talk in this
way. The popular thing to do is to de-
nounce railroads in and out of season, to
misconstrue all their motives, to charge
that all their acts are prompted by wicked
intent, and to demand that they be brought
TO taw," on all occasions, regardless of
right and reason. Nevertheless. we cannot
convince ourselves that railroads are not
entitled to the same fair treatment which
all concede to individuals and to other in
situations. So long as railway passes are
not issued for corrupt purposes, but are
used legitimately in the way of business,
we cannot conceive what right the inter
state commerce commission or anybody else
has to do with the matter. The railway
stock Nlders are alone interested, and they
only u the extent of seeing that they are
not being defrauded by giving away some
thing for which they do not get value.