The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1890-10-04

il additional powers. w hlle IL Is p"eS-
tonable whether the people of Vermont
have received that substantial benefit
from this commission which was anticipat-
ed when it was created, still / should re-
gard it as a step backward to abolish it.
/ believe it rather to be your duty to give
TO the commission measure OF vitality
which it does not now possess. Its eX-
pense to the state is something more than
$4,000 per year, and unless additional
powers and higher measure OF RESPONSE
blity is conferred, | believe less expen-
sive board will meet the requirements of
fine state. Should you conclude to enlarge
its powers, an examination of the report
will suggest to you the direction i'll which
such enlargement should be made. For
instance, touching upon local passenger
fares, they speak first of the greatly re-
duced rates-two cents per mile-aiforded
to many citizens of the state by the pur-
chase of mileage tickets or books, and then
add as follows: "But there is large
class which includes those who. for want of
pecunary means, and for other good and
sufficient reasons, are unable to share IN
the benefit of these reduced rates, but are
compelled to buy single ticket and pay
therefor three to four and one-half cents
per mile-a rate of fare almost equal to
the stage coach rates of 30 years ago. 1t
is needless. perhaps, to remark that this
latter class includes all who are the least
able to pay. 1t (the board) entertains the
hope that all the railroad companies will
see their way clear at an early day to make
such reductions in local passenger rates as
to remove this alleged inequality, and this
in the interest of their patrons who are, for
reasons above stated unable to avail them
selves of the present reductions.
The point may be raised that the regula-
ton of the railroads of Vermont should not
be in the hands of a commission, but ex-
perience shows that the practical workings
of law permitting the commission to stand
between the public and the railroad and
has not been found to work unjustly in
those states in which the commission is
clothed with power to give vitality to its
suggestions. We confer upon these cor
porations valuable franchises, and in re-
turn they should extend to all the people
of the state reasonable rates of transporta-
ton: and know of no more equitable man
ner of reaching an adjustment of these mat
ters than through a railroad commission
clothed with reasonable powers such as are
given them in many of the other states of
the Union.
RAILROAD PASSES.
In February, 1887, the congress of the
United States passed what is known as the
Interstate commerce law, which provides
substantially that in commerce between
states, railroads shall not receive for any
person or persons greater or less COM
pensaton for the transportation of passen-
gers or property than it receives from any
other person or persons for the same SER
vice under similar conditions. The act is
suitably guarded by proper exceptions.
At the risk of quoting too literally the
views of another, | take from the first an
nual report of the Interstate commerce
commissioner commission including,
among others, an honored son of Vermont,
Hon. Aldace f. Withdrawing its views
of the statute above referred to, after hav-
ing observed its workings. Speaking first
of favoritism in the transportation of
freight, they then proceed in the following
emphatic language:
"The evils of free transportation of per-
sons were not less conspicuous than those
which have been mentioned. Concerning
freights-this, where it extended beyond
the persons engaged in railroad service, was
commonly favoritsm in most unjust and
offensive form. Free transportation was
given not only to secure business, but to
conciliate the favor of localities and of
public bodies; and, while it was often de-
manded by persons who had, or claimed to
have influence which was capable of
being made use of to the rejudice 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 expected of public officers, it was
of something not theirs to give, but which
belonged to the public or to constituents.
A ticket emitting one to free passes by
rail was often more effective in enisting
the assistance and support of the holder
than its value in money would have been,
and in great many cases it would be re-
ceived if when the offer of money, made
to accomplish the same end, would have
been spurned as a bride. Much suspicion
of public men resulted, which was some
times Just, also sometimes unjust. and
cruel and some deterioration of the moral
sense of the community, traceable to this
cause, was unavoidable while the abuse
continued The parties most frequently
and largely favored were those possessing
large means and having large business in
terests.
THE general fact came to me, that in
proportion to the distance they were car
ried, those able to pay the most paid the
least One without means had seldom any
grounds on which to demand free transpor-
tation, while with wealth he was likely to
have many grounds on which he could
make it for the interest of the railroad
company to favor him, and he was some
times favored with free transportation not
only for himself and his family, but for
business agents Also and even sometimes