The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-09-19
JUDGES AND PASSES.
Joseph G.. Waters Writes the
state Journal"
On This Important and Grow
ing Question.
A PAYING PASSENGER
Now Feels Like Alexander Sell
kirk Says Mr.. Waters.
One More Judge is Found Who
Doesn't Use a Pass.
To the Editor Of the State journal.


In private conversation l may throw
little venom into the discussion of this
pass business, but such language does
not wear we'll in writing or type, and
forego it.
have had some cause to be angered.
In january, 1898, two district judges of
Kansas, both Of whom held passes.
and whose terms were just expiring, set
aside judgments rendered against a rail
road com pany. and a week later one Of
them was acting as attorney for that rail
road company.
There may have been no sequence
from pass to decision, but they had
business to put themselves in q position
to authorize q defeated attorney to regard
their conduct with suspicion
know a judge. not now on the bench.
who asked the railroad attorney for
pass to Chicago and back for himself and
family, while that attorney and myself
were arguing a motion for a new trial,
which that company had made.
A district judge or SO Is IN
The habit Of going west on
his summer vacation, on pass, and with
the railroad cOmpany's attorney A dis
trict Judge went west on a long pleasure
excursion. on a railroad pass this year,
and has done this thing before. We have
had railroads naming towns after judges
One Judge. not now on the bench. had
town named after him and his re-elecJion
warmly espoused by that railroad com
pany.
They are all honorable men, but they
did wrong One judge persisted in
carrying a pass after the bar at an open
meeting publicly denounced the habit.
When judges cease to take passes. the
custom viii commence to be made
odious.
The practice of the bench justifies the
legislator, boodler and lobbyist. II sal
aries are not sufficient, they ought not to
take the office. There is no cOmpulsion
about il and they are not the only men
on our census roll who are competent.
If passes are to be continued, our legis-
la.ures Will be simply Doodle exchanges;
there will he, Al. there has been IN the
past, no iucOnsiderable number of Iegis-
lators and public men who will batten
on the railroads. Did you ever think that
the lobby comes here dead head every
year? 4 pass is the entering wedge Of
all other sorts of Doodle
The New York Constitutional conven-
tiOn must have been reading the jour
NAL II Will incorporate a provision in
the constitution Of that state making it a
misdemeanor for public servant to take
pass. as it is now in morals. Many of
our judges are not influenced by passes,
but some others of them are.
1t Is a very bad example for the best
Of them to set, for some weaker man who
may be in the succession may take ad-
vantage of it. One judge I am ac-
quainted with, a staunch Republican, un-
swerving in his conduct on the bench
beloved in his district. we'll to do in this
worlds goods, who would grace any SUI
preme bench III conduct and ability. has
the weakness to use a pass. It is my only
criticism upon him. And il is Just
1t takes the backbone and Gambler out
Of an attorney who is trying a case against
railroad before a Judge with
known to receive and apply for such
favors
Al man may have his horse and car
riage, bank stock, real estate and pro-
perty generally, but these adventitious
things never excite the pangrened envy
as does the ownership of an annual. not
confined 70 stations in Kansas; or to an
nuals over more than one road; or ANIMALS
over all the roads; and especially if he has
a little bit OF a Russia leather case for the
hlagreed paste boards to reside in. Such
lnlng gives caste and he becomes a
full blown American aristocrat when he
can command a special
The JOURNAL is everlastingly in the
right 1t has been bold when many
others have been silent. And in the ap-
proval Of the public and your increasing
circulation, 1t is an object lesson in nevs-
paperdom. that to be manly and to dis
cuss questions without diplomacy. paws
biggest OF all. 1t ought to be good Re-
publican doctrine.
In conclusion, i represent in nv pro-
test the few who pay fare. The having
passenger Is an Alexander Selkirk. What
90 yon guess is the relation Of full fares
70 passes
First boy with pass
A young man with a pass
Antt next a preachers half fare-
hen an annual pass
Then an editors pass.
Al which the passengers stare=
llfen a candidates pass
Then judge on pass
Exposed not long to the air.
1hen a man with pass
An Old IHan with "A pass
ana passes everywheret
And care not the class
HI the Whole train.
n nrr rfaI-e