The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-16
Janu
FREE PASSES.

There are, we believe, several bills
pending in the Legislature to forbid the
issue OF free passes, or franks. to public
officials by any railroad, telegraph, tele-
phone or express company. There is no
doubt that public sentiment out of doors
is nearly unanimous on this subject
When a free pass is given it must be re-
membered that it is not the railroad that
gives free transportation Except nomi-
ually) for it cannot run an engine or move
car without money derived from the
public. When the railroad permits one
person to ride free, those who pay for
riding pay that much more to defray
the expense of carrying the dead-head,
AS an instance of this the Railroad Com
missions report for 1896 shows that
while the railroads charge the standard
rate OF 3A cents per mile, they averaged
|, receipt of is cents to the passenger
PER mile. This would show that out Of
every three persons travelling, two were
paying for the free riding of the third
man. Even after deductions for excursion
trains and the like, and for second-class
fares, it is reasonably certain from these
figures that out OF four men travelling, on
an average, three of them are not only
paying for themselves but the fare Of the
fourth man as well.
Objectionable, and unjust, as is the is
sue OF free passes they are doubly so
when issued to public officials. 1t is
singular how railroad officials, who COM
plain at other times of the pressure on
them for free passes, invariably set their
lobby to work to defeat bill forbidding
free passes to public officials as soon
as such bills are introduced. The only
explanation is that frankly given BY a
railroad official to a gentleman in this
city who called this matter to his ntten-
ton and asked why the railroads should
oppose bill to reduce the number OF ap-
plications for free passes. Because"
said the railroad man, ''you well known
4
dare not offer money to- All Of
ficials who take free passes are not
bought--far from it-but the railroads
find their profit in this business or they
would not continue it, nor would they
so bitterly assail and lobby against bills
prohibiting the issue of free passes.
The people of New York have forced a
provision into their constitution to forbid
fhe issue of free passes to any public
Official and several other States have
done the same A bill, copied from the
New York Constitution was introduced
III the last Legislature, but it was stolen
from the files three times and otherwise
DELAYED to prevent its passage, and we
presume the same delays and opposition,
indirect but potent, will be internosed to
the bills now pending
Another objection to the free pass sys-
TEN, besides its increasing the fare of
paying travellers and the influence upon
officials, is that ii enables large shippers
and their families and friends to have the
discrimination of travelling free, while
their poor competitors in business, al
ways pay full fares. And then there is
the crying evil which has existed In this
State ever since 1868, that in county
district and State conventions, Of each
and every party, and in our Legislatures,
the railroads have constantly interfered
and favored their man, or their measures
by hauling men free TO advocate them.
This has become fragrant and a grow
ing scandal and the people Of North
Carolina are heartily tired OF railroad
officials assuming to control our public
policy and name our public officials. Years
ago the editor Of this paper, then on the
estate Chronicle, opened the fight
against the issue Of free passes to public
officials and the interference Of railroads
in party conventions and In State Iegis-
iation. The public indignation has be-
come more pronounced as the evil has
grown more and more open and defiant.