The Lamar register., 1896-04-18
~ 5 FAY W TX.
The I-,-r-si.te Railroad L ne, WIN Not
Issue ras.-s-

DenN5, April 13-The News this morn
lns SAYS.
The announcement IN the News yester-
day that the Ereat railway lines Of the
country had decided 10 call In The free
transportation which was issued earlier In
the year, was stirprls., to many business
men and large shippers Of Denver. The
further statement that all free transpnrta-
ton bstwecn states, except TO bona hde
railway eiuployss, s positively forbidden,
zen with q shock upon members Of the
city council officers ~ the county and
state and huDdrsis OF individuals In pri-
vats NE IN Denver who have considered
L their special privilege to '-lold up the
railway companies Tor passes Tor them
selves and their friends
The next sensation many Of these gen
tieTnen viii experience Will be a mild In
vltation frVn the railway companies to re
turn The trausioriati1u which was issued
before the n0tei decision u the supreme
o1urt was made public For q week past
all applications Tor frrc passes have been
refused NJ the railway otficrs and the Of
nccrs declare that everybody win be
treated alike hereafter They say that
even the sOycrnor Of the state cannot ride
to the East or to California without giv.
ING up the actual cash pTicc which Is an
n0unoed Ia the published schedules Dep
uty sherlrrs and ward politicians viii
have 10 pay Ike the ordinary citizen and
the great thrnng 0f hungry pass hends
whirb has beset the general agents with
cui lntermission must retire to seciusion.
Unfortunately. members OF the state
legislature and other officers cf the civil
government are still at liberty to bes.ers
the passenger headquarters. for the inter
state law does not attempt to control bus.
Bess moving within the state. Lines may
con,inBe to issue passes to local points IN
the state. but the radical change in trans
pOrtation over the long roads canno, fan
10 greatly reduce the amouu, Of free
transportation within the states
Any person. however. who uses q pass
issued In one state for transportation IN
another state. S liabls % b. summoned
before the Interstate commission. Once
summoned. the Individual cannot dodge
Questions which may BE- asked. and while
be cauBgJ rriminatg himself. be may make
II highly uucomf0rtable for the officers OF
the railway.
The decision OF the supreme court was
as follows:
III, as was justly observed In the opln-
Ion Of the Cour; below. witnesses standing
In Browns position were at liberty to set
I'M an Immunity frnn fsSfifytns. tho on
rorcenient Of the interstate commerce law
or other analogous acts, wherein 1t Is for
the interest Of both parties to conceal their
nisdoings. would become impossible.
since il Is only from the mouths OF those
having knowledge o. the Inhibited con-
tracts that the facts can be ascsrtained.
While the constitutional provision In ques-
ton Is justly regarded as one OF the most
valuable prerogatiyes Of the citizen, Its
object s fully accomplished by the stat
utoTy immunity, and We are. therefore, of
opinion that the witness was compellable
to answer and that the Judgment of the
court below must b. affirmed"
The decision has opened the records OF
the railway companies to the Interstate
commission and given new force and ef-
feet 10 the Interstate law. The Interstate
commission Is now IN the saddle and the
law must be obeyed
adj.