The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-08-13
RATES NORTH AND SOUTH.

Instead of passenger rates beng mod
crate and alike to all, they range from
81 cents per mile in the Southern States
land were only reduced to that point by
the Railroad Commissions down to one
cent on some of the Northern railroads,
the average being about two cents. The
charges for passengers are thus dlstrlb-
uted:
/. To tne influential, as newspaper
editors. politicians, public officials, rela-
tives of railroad managers and the
wealthy, free passes--which means that
their fare is paid by adding the cost OF
the rate charged the poor and unin-
fuential.
3 To those with secondary influence
like commercial tourists, employed by
wealthy firms reduced rates are given.
upon the 1000 mile ticket system-which
is simply a device for the interest on the
fare paid in advance, is no consideration
to the corporation but the required lump
sam can not conveniently be raised by
the average man.
8. To ministers of the gospel who Will
come under obligation to the railroads
by special applications therefor, permits
to buy tickets at reduced rates are grant
ed as a favor Thus paddock is sought
to be put on their influence.
A. As an outlet to public disaffection
at high rates, lower rates are granted as
a special favor to conventions, commence
ments and the like, and wealthy hoteI
owners are conciliated by low summer
rates.
). Lastly, the great masses Except on
special occasions) are taxed the highest
rate possible. OF those least able tc
bear it. the utmost is exacted. For al
this system of favors and special privi
eyes, a very low. permanent rate, without
exceptions for any occasion or to any per
son Except railroad employees in the dis
charge of their dutiesl should be substi
tuted, with no difference in rate except
that justified by difference in accommo
dation.
A change so just. so much to the bene
fit of the public and the railroads alike
can not be too soon adopted.
THE FREE PASS EVIL.
The evils of the free pass system, anC
the immoral purposes to which it has
been put has met wide public condemna
ton. Eight great States have put il
their Constitutions provisions against it
making it forfeiture of office for any of
flee holder to take Il free pass. Tn,
Interstate Commerce Commission has
repeatedly decided that free passes ar
forbidden in all Interstate Commerce,
and among States forbidding it by Stat
ute, North Carolina did SO in 1891. II
that State the railroads absolutely ig
nored the statute, so much SO that / fint
that the Chairman of the North Caro-
lima Railroad Commission stated to YOU
convention a year ago, that 100000 FIRE,
passes were issued annually in that State
and this was seven years after the Ac
was passed All during those years
in spite of the law, the railroads had car
ried that 100000 of the rich and infu
entail free, by adding the cost of thei
riding to the tickets of the poor and un
influential Since then, the law has beer
enforced by a fine of ST 900 being lai,
in two cases tout of. it would seem. 100.
900 yiolations). / see that Van Ost il
his work states that one-fifth of the pas
sengers in the West ride free-that is /,
say that the other four-fifths pay 70
their riding.
HAS IT BECOME SECRET?
/ do not know how far the correctly,
force of public opinion and the enforce
ment of the law have abate,
the free pass injustice, but Judg
Cooley, i'm his address befor
YOU, to which | have alread
referred intimated that it had merel!
become secret like freight discrimina
tions) and that it was carried on by tn,
device Of issuing mileage books-fo
which nothing is paid-instead of fire.
passes. Aside from the injustice o