Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1892-01-01
'THE PASS QUESTION.
Interstate Commission Decides
I6,lns! frsa Pass System
Is Ipplyls I, Certain Glasses IS Ont.
hasd By Boston ( Maine.
Reciprocity with Costa Rica- Our Rese-
nues-Speaker Crisp Better.

WARRINGTON, Dec. 81 The interstate
commerce conn,isson ioiay announced
a Cd ion 10 the railroad pass case. TIE
Boa on 4 Maine Railroad in ausser stated
hat ia Was in the habit Of gisiag passes a.
. husIness feature ct its eministraion 70
numerous clAsses Of persons, specified in
the answer ~ follows: Class /, includes
siek, M scsssitoas of iniigens persons, in
shoft ali cases Of chaTiiy siricsy. Clss,
2. insiudes r. ntieGen ike Hon. james W.
Bfsdbory, Il nj emiaent in psblic sesvies.
Class 3, iIc.u.es pfoprietors Of summer
hotels, large basrdi 9 houses eolf,rmAbis
to practice ,has has 10 existed on the
railroads OF New Eagiand. Glass 4. ir-
c.udss wives of enp oyes and o!her i'm
me1isie memters OF she employees families
Class 5, inciu3es ~ ss.nts Of ice com.
pxnies ard ssi milk conttsetors doing bus
Iaess on ,hs line cf the Boston d
Maine Railroad CT any part thereof
extending between Any two states;
said agent and contractors trave log
on the hoe in the coaducs Of business
Glass includes Lisoer efficers Of the
states Of Msies. Mes Hampshire, Vermont
ard MSsssehuseas aad certain prominent
officers Of the Usitee States, IKE collectors
OF custons. Class Z, includes railroad
commissions ners each of the states OF Maine,
New Hamp.hfe, Vermont and Mssrs-
ehusetts. olsss ., iBc udes members
OF The railroad ccmmit tee for the
the time being CT the lesi.l.tures Of each
Of the sistss Of Msioe, New Hsmps hire,
Vermont sad Massachusetts,. Class ., ill.,
ciudes trustees undsr The mortgage on the
property of the corporation, who are en-
tisled to inspect its properly by virtue Of
deed or indeniure constituting them trus-
tees. Class 10, schedules annexed called
complimentary, includes persons whose
GOOD will Is important to the cor
poration who 90 lepg as the general
practice Of rAilfosds remsifs what 1t nov
Is, ii d might justly take tfen.e IL in he
matter Of frse transportation they were to
receive from the Boston & Maine railroad
f-rert treatment from that received from
o,her railroad corpgrstions
The concession imposed upon the COM
mission the duty Of giving = construction
TO the act TO requisite commerce in respect
TO the right Of railway company TO give
interstate passes TO sucn Classes Of persons
The commission met the question square.
ly and in the opinion discusses the statue
and cites authorities at nome length, and
concludes hat brxoch Of the case with
these words; Without further cita,iol If
authority, the cunsaruction We give to sec.
non Of the acs TO rsguiste commerce Is
thai where the service Of the Ca rler sub
zet TO the act Is ''like sDd c3ntempo-
raDeous" for different passengers, ihe
cnas ge to one Of greater or less compen-
eat Oh than to another Constitutes an NJ just
discrimination and is unlawful, unless The
.hsrse of such gfesier or less corpeusation
u allowed uader tns exceptions provided in
section 22, and that where the traffic is
under suostsn isiiy similar circumstances
aud conditions In other r sp. cts, II IS not
reidered dissimiiisr within the meaning Of
the salute BY shs fsct that since PASSENGERS
held unlike, or Sc Sometimes termed, qual,
tfiicisl, social or business positions, or be
losg to different classes as ordinarily exist
IN the Community, or arbitrarily crsated by
the carrier.
This would exclu de- the right to give in
ter state pas es to c. rtain classes specified
10 the apsser which included gentlemen
eminent in public service. ""his her , fiji aeis'
of sta.es, prominent otficers of The U1it
I'd States" 'smembers Of railroad legisls
tive committees" al 'persons ~hose good
will is important to The corporstio1."
Oher el.sses Of psss holders named In
tbe answer, whose passes II 01gh Ia form
are free, were free only In bame, because
In reality iefe is some consideration for
lhem, such IS tn lse issued to ue-spsper
men 10 ex .hsrg9 for advertising, to ho'el
proprirtors, ice dealers aud milk deslers,
sud ssme other persons are cisimed to
stand on special ground Of right, As
to these Glasses OF persons, the
Ct mmission says the investigation
would have to be extended to enable it to
pass satisfactory judgment thereon, aud TO
svoid delay which proper and IN inves
ligation Of these clssses would occas.on,
and in view of their minor impot'sace aud
yet perhaps greater difficulty Of decision,
and of lhs urgency ,hst the defendant
should be- informed at this time Of decision
upon the leading question Involved, namely
the general cobsu aciion Of ihe statute upon
the subject Of free transportation, the clm-
mission has c4nciDded TO ho-d the case as
to such spr cisl classes Of PERSONS for such
further investigation as mighE be necessary
TO put il in fuii possession Of all the facts.
before f5xlly passing upon The m and in the
mesntime to issue Al order applicable to
the classes fret bsmed, in accordance with
the construction Of the Law ~ set forth,
this beng pursuant TO Practice in other
Cases.