The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-05-08


reports we have urged the enactment OF
law prohibiting the allowance of free
passes by the railroad compu1ies of this
state. except as to the employees OF such
roads, whose names are shown as such en-
ployes on the books OF the companies
Among the reasons for this recommends
tion are. !. The fact that In the giving OF
such passes, II the revenue OF the roads is
to be preserved II is an unjust tax on one
part OF the people 10 make UP the revenue
lost by giving free passes to another part
OF them. And this unjust discrimination
Is the more reprehensible because. for the
most part, such passes are givgx-Ap-peI-
sons able TO pay Tor their transportation.
and denied 10 the poor end needy"
2. They are for the most part, excepting
those given 10 the employees OF the rail-
roads, given to official persons presumably
for the purpose of Influencing their official
conduct. And this is made manifest by the
fact that they are not given 10 such per-
sons except while thy hold official posi-
SO far this commission has not bsea
able 70 obtain information which would
show the amount OF revenue lost by the
railroad companies BY the allowance OIL
free passes But we have information
which shows that the amount so lost
must have in marked degree reduced
their revenues We have reports from
twenty niue of the railroads of this state
for the year which ended June so, 1898.
There reports show In the aggregate the
numbcr of passes 1nnnal time aud trip,
issued by them during that year was TO-
AIS. MARY OF these. however. we're given
to the employees OF the roads
Justice and fairness and the public
Interests require that the pra1ti,e of Is
suing free passes huuld he prohibited BY
law. With such EXCEPTIONS as may be found
necessary
In the fourth annual report Of the inter-
state commerce commission. page 20, II IA
said IF the carrier habitullly carry
great number. Of people free, itg regular
rates are maze the higher to over the
cost and much more to same effect
The above reasons appear amply sutn-
cient to cause the legislature TO promptly
comply with he suggestions and demands
made and enact the law.
OF course. a deck OF passes in MS
pocket is convenient for individual mem
bers TO have in travelling. The State only
pays the 30 cents a mile. going and re-
turning, 10 each session Of the legislature
one time, and these passes age good Tor the
entire year.
Many Of your readers will remember
that some years ago at some kind Of an
investigation before a Joint committee OF
tho TWO houses. as reported In the dally
papers at the time. and not denied, 1t was
shown that every member Of each mouse
except the lieutenant governor had accept
ed passes from the railways. Also some Ct
the members stated that they hcd Tree
transportation in the Pullman coaches In
this State and trip passes TO Chicago
Many Of these legislators admitted that
these passes had been given in the nature
OF a bride By the donors, but not accepted
as such aud had no effect on their official
conduct
Certainly it can not be denied that these
"courtesies" are given strictly as matter
of business. either for services rend red
in the past or expected in the future
Doubtless this free transportation business
had much TO do with the result of the re-
cent election. when the people almost
unanimously refused 10 extend the lime
for full pay to legislators, when 1t was
generally admitted that the present time
is insufficient for State of such magnin-
cent distances and varied interests as our
grand state possesses.
Then many think that the magic paste.
boards so freely distributed among county
and precinct officers, unwittiugly have
something TO do with the low value of
railroads when rendered for taxes COM
pared to the very conservative values 1Xed
on them by 1.-The railway commission after
due investigation.
Whether these things he true or NOT. II
Will be better for all parties concerned
particularly the railroads 10 enact tht lew
prohibiting free transportation, except az
to employees and let all officials nav II
they go, or as they 60 as a democratic
people should. w r. Hayes,