St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-02-04
a PASS SOLUTION.

Railroad passes is subject presented
to the minds of legislators quite gener-
ally some time in their public life. 1t
is one of the perpleXing questions that
involve conflicts between the duties the
Conscientious legislators, as it is to be
presumed most of them are, owe to the
state OF the public and the individual
representing it. Often compromise is
reached that preserves the veal of the
individual. and tlckles the public ear
with sonorous rhetoric. For palpable
reasons the pass question is more fire.
quent and perhaps more perplexing in
Western legislatures this winter than
in former sessions. In this state
and the Dakotas it is disturbing
the serenity of the legislative mind.
There is fascination about a
package of free transportation vouchers
that few have entire immunity from.
There are, however, some disadvantages
to the state. The temptation to visit
home or travel about on private concerns
is hard to resist. In Illinois the habit
has grown so with the members of the
legislature to go home every week that
there are but four days for work, and
two of them likely to be cut somewhat.
In Massachusetts the present legislature
is trying to introduce reform In this
matter. For a long series of years the
annual sessions have been more or less
occupied with this subject, and some
eXpedients have been attempted. 1t is
a large question, and trying to the aver
age legislator there, from the fact that
the great majority of the members live
near enough TO go home every
night and return in the morning
in time for the session. AS the consti
tuition allows but one mileage in a SEES
sion it would be a grave matter to have
railroad fare to meet every day. But
the subject has refused to stay adjusted
to any of the eyasive devices that legiS-
IatorS will resort to in the old states
when this matter is forced upon them.
A reform scheme has been formulated,
and as it is comprehensive and likely to
be favorably acted upon in that state, it
may be of interest to those who are
wrestling with the same sort of conun-
drums in other legislatures. The
scheme is not fanatlcally radical. 1t al
lows the members to possess the passes
for daily use during the session, but
they are not to be under obliga-
lions to the railroads for them. The
state is to buy them of the companies
and furnish them to the members as a
part of the perquisites of their position.
They can return home as usual every
day. but the state pays, and they are as
independent of the roads as if they had
never seen a pass. The loss to the mem
bers is that the roads are not to be al
lowed to furnish them any passes under
severe penalties. They have been in
the habit of using passes after the SEES
sions end, and obtaining them for mem
bers of their families and friends. The
railroads are bitterly opposed to the
change. They prefer to 81 ct epasses,
as it affords them grip on tie leglsla
ture. OF course. III other states that
are not so thickly settled the members
would not need to go home very often.
This Massachusetts, plan has been adopt
ed in New Jersey and Connecticut, and
is said to give satisfaction to the people.