The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1900-02-04

company cut off many of Its ANIMALS and
issued trips" sparingly. When it came to
the newspapers the large daiies continued
to be recognized but the country press
was ignored The old 'scomplimentaries"
we're greatly reduced In number. i doubt
II amy trip passes issued by the Pennsyl-
yania company now are allowed to read:
ION account of complimentary"
Today the pass policy of all the lines
in the United States has undergone
radical change. The dead head question
has come to be one of serious importance
and passes in all sections of the country
are growing scarcer and more difficult to
obtain every year. That is to say, they
are scarce outside of the circle of rail-
road officials and puissant politicians. An
nuals are issued to transportation officials
in the way of exchange, almost as freely
as ever. In the month of January last
not less than two million ANIMALS, 1T Is
said, were issued ON account of exchange
Two hundred thousand of these We're sent
out from the general offices in New York
city alone. but few OF the general public
are riding free. 1t makes quite a differ
ence in the earnings.
Passes Becoming Rare
1T is estimated that fully 80 per cent.
of those who travel during the current
year will have to pay their way" and IL
Samuel Spencer, president of the Southern,
railroad companies in the United States,
free passes will be rarer than ever; will,
indeed, be done away with altogether. In
testfying before the industrial commits
sion in Washington recently he said emf
Irlatically that he was in favor of the
abolition or all classes OF passes. He
took the position that railroad officials and
employees from presidents down to switch
men should pay full fare. 1t may never
get to that but the free pass abuse, as it
is now called, will be broken up. The
abuse consisted chiefly in this: Persons
who were regarded as entitled to free
trans portation for themselves and menu
bers of their immediate family had a way
of slipping in various other kinsfoks and
many individuals who were not even re-
motely related.
The issuance of passes is certainly to
be reduced to the minimum AS a news
paper laborer OF twenty-five years stand
ing-I began while 1 was only youth
l have had many free ride. But if the
time comes for me to walk or pay l will
submit without murmur.
When l began my newspaper career in
the los, found the free pass system in
full play. The man or woman who did
not ride on a pass now and then was
looked upon as one almost friendless;
either that, one without wit enough to
ask for a pass.
The audactty of the Toms, Dicks and
Harrys who worked the railroad officials
was quite characteristic of the Cheeky"
American. Men would tell all sorts of fibs
in order to get free rides. But the passen-
ger agents were proverbially kind, genial
and easy-going, and were easily prevailed
upon to help a fellow over the road. 1t
did not require much effort to work"
them. The masters of transportation were
ALSO kind hearted men and were ever
ready to issue passes to their friends and
all others who took the Mains TO loolx than,
up. All the officials, great and small. had
the authority to issue passes to whom they
pleased and everybody of any railroad
rank seemed to dead-head all the rest of
the world. 1t was not quite so easy as
that to get passes, but to my youthful