Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1890-01-09
Railroads Are Thoughtful.
The Judiciary Always Remembered in
the Distribution of Annual
FavorS-A Question of
Taste-HOw Different
Judges Regard 1t.
Chicago Morning News.

IdreS 10 stop ana Ullnk twice the next time
they have a suit In court against arailroad
company. Some of the judges think NO
more of accepting passes than a German
does OF taking his glass of beer. Others
are ever more thoughtless In regard to the
custom. They are only too glad to get
them, in fact. and will ever send around
for them should the attorney of the rail
road forget or neglect to extend the court
esq.
Some judges are said to take all the pass
es they can get, and even send a r%equisi-
ton for sleeping-car berths and tickets for
the entire family whenever a trip is con!
templated. These seem to think that the
man who, In his official capacity. is a
stranger to both friends and foe should
have the benefit of all the perquisites
obtainable. He takes a delight in flashing
a pass in the face of the conductor. He
calls to the chef of the buffet for a Del
monico spread, and probably exposes his
pass when the bill is presented. The same
piece of cardboard is perhaps made to do
service when the porter blacks his honor's
boots and helps him on with his o%vercoat.
Judges CIifford's Position.
Judge Clifford does not accept passes.
and sends back all that are rendered. He
did not say: I'VE have decided not to
talk about it"
Il have no objections to being interviewed
ON the subject. he remarked, leading the
way to his private chambers.
Once inside he unbosomed himself with
admirable frankness.
Il have neither accepted nor ridden on a
pass since my election to the Circuit court
BENCH said he.
"Were passes ever sent to yOu?"
Eyes, sir. | guess most of the railroads
sent me passes, but without intending any
discourtesy | returned the passes, and in
each case wrote letters explaining my con-
duct and informing the companies further
that could not accept passes while | con-
tinued to be a judge. In most cases the
companies did notsend again, but in some
they did, thus compelling me to send them
back a second time"
DO you understand that all the judges
do the same?"
mo, sir; | do net. | understand that
some take all the passes that come to them.
1t seems to be a matter OF taste"
DO you consider it a matter of taste to
accept a bride dressed in the guise of a fav-
or?"
mo, really, you cannot think that the
railroad companies send these passes as
brides. | know judges who ride on passes
and who are as honest, straightforward,
and conscientious as any on the bench. No,
no, can't think a man, a judge, would be
influenced by accepting a pass. You might
almost try to buy him with a glass of beer.
Why, | consider it just as gross an in
suit for a man to tell me he thinks | am
honest as it would be to tell a she
is virtuous. On the bench the Judge
knows no one. He views all with the
same unprejudiced eye. Why. he can't
afford to do otherwise"
"Well, then, why do all railroads send
passes to the ~judges?"
COURTESY TO THE JUDICIARY.
1T is nothing more than a matter of
courtesy to the Judiciary, I imagine"
Then why do you not accept and use
your passes?"
Il don't think it looks well. I don't
desire to feelunder obligations to any cor
%poration.'
''Then you will admit that a Judge who
accepts a pass must feel obligated to the
railroad?"
81 would, perhaps, but those who accept
do not I'm sure. They look at it digger
entity"
How do you suppose the railroad lcok
at it?"
I'm sure they do not expect favors by
reason of the passes"
But | know of a case where a railroad
attorney revoked a certain Judges pass be-
cause his honor became too independent to
suit the attorney"
well, l can't say about that. For my
part, | can't bring myself to using passes.
It gives grounds for suspicion. 1t is not
fair to attorneys. If | were trying a case
as a lawyer | would want to feel that |
stood on the same ground as the railroad
attorney on the other side of the case,
which | perhaps could not do provided |
knew that the Judge presiding carried a
pass on that road and was riding OF it
every day. | wouldn't want to be trying
a case against a railroad and ride home
every night on a paSS-cOmmunlng, rs 1t
were, with one Of the parties in litiga-
Still you insist that it can have no
effect on the judges who do carry the
81 do, because | feel it."
why are Judges picked out by the
railroad companies as proper persons on
whom to bestow these favors? Corpora
tons, as a rule, don't throw away many
dollars"
Il s'pose it must be that it is an old
to give passes to the judges, city
and county officials, and Legislators"
JUDGE TUTHILL DOEsN T USE THEM.
The reporter was not surprised to see
Judge Tuthill pull a bran new pass from
a ~pigeon-hole in his desk, for be had seen
scores of them being counterslgned IN the
Chicago & Northwestern general offices
the day before.
Yes, they send me passes, said Judge
"but I haven t ridden on one since
occupying this position on the Circuit
court bench.
What do you do with them?"
1.-The first year | sent them back. When
thew sent new ones again the second year
| thought there was nc use being churlish
about It. for | considered it simply a court
esy, and put them in the ~pigeon-hole there,
they still remain. Now, here Is a
pass that came yesterday, and 1t goes IN
with the rest"
WHY dom you use them?"
Il don't consider it just the proper
thing. But / may add that | know of up
right judges who do use passes, and be-
fore whom | would as soon try a railroad
case as before any other Judge"
l"Don't you think it makes any differ
Il do not. A Judge couldn't afford to
let it. Why, | consider the giving of a
pass a simple courtesy, the same as being
70 dinner.
what would people think if the
companies should all give annual
to the iudges?" is a question
the renortar shared the court. How