The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1897-01-09
DOWN ON RAILROAD PASSES
Interstate Commerce Commission
Calls for More Law.
ABUSE A SOURCE OF WONDER
Officials Are Compelled to Grant
Passes to Shippers or Lose Bus.-
ness-EffOrts to Limit the Prac-
tice Only Prove It's Prevalence.
Argument for Lower Fares.

The Interstate Commerce Commission
was asdenouncedthree days ago by the Farm
ers' Alliance of Minnesota as a sham, 4
mere refuge for broken-d down politicians
One Of the complaints upon which this Is
based is the failure to break up the use OF
free passes.
Yet the commission is not idle in this
matter. 1t asks that free transportation
be prohibited It's last annual report, the
advance sheets OF which have Just been is
sued, attacks the use OF this privilege,
which is permitted by law under certain
conditions. 1t says transportation free or
at reduced rates is not confined to the
classes for whom it is intended. Annual
and trip passes are issued by many OF the
lines TO shippers OF freights and 10 others.
These favors TO persons who control freight
shipments amount to a rebate, and this re-
bate, in the nature OF the case, must be
variable Like all other ilIegitimate con-
cessions, it brings about discrimination.
The demand for such fayors coming from
shippers having the choice OF two or more
competing routes is attended with the i'm
piled threat that failure to comply will
result in loss of business. The fact that the
demand is made upon each of the compet-
ing roads seems to make little difference.
This grant OF passes TO shippers, it is
pointed out, is also discrimination against
all other passengers, and the violation OF
the law is only slightly varied when the
favor is limited TO reduced rates.
No Prospect of Reform.
ut is well understood" continues the re-
port, that the issuance OF passes TO ship
pers has become more or less general on
many lines, and efforts made from time to
time by carriers in some eectfOns to limit
the abuse seems more to indicate the ex-
tent OF the evil than to encourage much
hope OF its early suppression.
Passes alleged to have been issued as
complimentary to the recipients on ac-
count of the profession in which they are
engaged or the public duties which they
perform, have become so general as to be
looked upon by many who get them as
special privileges pertaining TO their sta
tion in life.'' The length to which persons
OF acknowledged respectability viii go to
obtain free transportation are a constant
source of wonder to railroad officials Nor
is the practice confined to any particular
class of individuals.
The pretense that free transportation is
issued to individuals not connected with
railroad service purely as matter OF
compliment, is, in the great majority of
such cases, undoubtedly framed to hide
the fact that service of a kind not ordi-
narily the subject of money recompense
has been or is expected to be rendered by
the passenger This does not lessen the
offense nor diminish the discrimination
against other passengers.
Worst Form OF Favoritism.
No form of favoritism aud no species Of
partiality seems more odious or indie
fensible than that which accords to per-
sOnal influence or public station privileges
not enjoyed by the community at large.
The free carriage OF certain persons mere
ly because they occupy official positions
or have acquired some measure of dis
tinction, offends the rudest conception of
equality, and contravenes alike the pol
icy aud the provisions OF the statute.
The roads do not make such profits off
their passenger business that they can af-
ford free carriage TO SO many persons. For
the year the average of all roads OF re-
ceipts from passenger traffic was 40 12
cents per passenger, and per mile was 2.04
cents, though the established rate is from
to 4 cents mile. Ii is evident. even
taking into consider alton Iow-rate commu-
tation traffic, that the average would have
been considerably higher but for free or re-
duced transportation improperly granted.
The giving OF passes is OF itself a powerful
argument for the public demand that fare
should not be higher than cents n milo
Legislation Asked For.
No reason is suggested why the penal
provisions OF the statute should not he
made to apply to those who, not coming