Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1901-05-09
;OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW.

iOUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW. !.
Written for the Times Republican
When the pass question" is discussed
or referred to In the radical press the
starting point is always on the assump-
ton that the railroads are anxious to
perpetuate the system. That for IAN
|'annual" the railroads buy the future
possible decisions OF the judge, and for
free mileage books they get a favorable
vote on the part OF all senators and rep
resentatives-e elect whenever railroad
Legislation is before the house or senate
Out of an eastern paper the writer OBJ
tanned the following:
There was an interesting incidentsin
| the Michigan senate the other day A
proposal was made to reimburse circuit
judges for personal expenses while at
tending court away from home. Against
this one senator raised the objection
that the Judges had passes Another
senator said that, if they had passes.
they should be impeacned. Somebody
else got up and said tine two senator's
who were so disturbed both had passes
themselves. They then let the subject
crop, but omitted TO deny the state
ment."
Now the implication in the above is
that these judges and senators had I'M
usual fayors from the railroad corpora
lions when the real condition that prob
abiy existed is that every senator, every
representative and every judge in Mich
isan rides free or the railroads during
his term OF office. And ii will not pe
much of a misstatemen, to say the con-
aition of afrairsis paralleled in Iowa to-
day. Enlarge the statement to Include
all the states of the union Excepting a
flew who have stringent laws against
the system and even then there is no
cxaggeration.
But 1t is all wrong just the same. 1t
IS vicious and demoralizlng system,
that has grown up and fastened upon
cur public official life that is extremely
''ifficult to eradicate. During nearly
!. EVERY meeting of the Iowa legislature a
/ bin TO abolish the pass system is intro
huced. referred to a committee. general
| ~ Is reported. is debated and dies an
easy death. Two years from that time a
new legislature is called together and 35
per cent of the new and old members
| ride to Des Moines on complimentary
mileage. There is really no way to
avoid the issuance OF such mileage. This
the railroads know by experience. One
knowing representative asks for it and
when one has 1t all must or surely there
will be trouble in the camp. And If the
* y. Y. railroad gives a 900 mile book
stc a. the a. b. G. railroad must do the
the same. The result in some cases is
| that at the end of session some OIL
Gals have mileage not 10 burn but To
eel. Many of our lawmakers find the
sale of such unused mileage brings them
considerable cigar money The rail-
roads do not enjoy this ticket scalping
business, but don't kick for obvious roa-
sons. All this is an open secret. The
wonder is the Michigan senators
thought they were secretly specially ia
vored.
/ Now there is way to cure this evil.
| An easy plan. that is. not so exactine
to the state as the present pass system
And that is to compel the railroads To
issue pass for members of the legisla-
ture, all state officials and state Judges
4 and for the state of Iowa to pay each
railroad nominal sum for the sam.
1 and then to make it criminal offense
to issue any free transportation to any
4 other public official or any member OF
their families. Also make it crimina
for any person SO designated to accept
any free transportation Railroad CON
panies will gladly accept such law ard
enforce II. Self-i>specting officials
would prefer to ride free because the,
had right to. The law should be-
I framed so as to allow each member q
generous mileage to and from his home
end special provision could be mad.
for the possibility of extra sessions
state officials designated by title should
4 rave annual passes, exactly as the
Il members of the board of control or rail.
Grad commissioners, and for such trans.
rortation nothing should be paid to tnt
railroads. for some Of their official act:
require travel frequently in the inter.
ests of the railroads themselves,
But the lawmakers and the judges ant
I court officials should have free trans
rortation as part Of their salary. Onl,
81 the state should pay for the same, ane
not nave our lawmakers and judges UNI
der even an implied obligation to tn.
corporations a spectacle of judE,
riding free on a railroad to county sea
where he Is to decide suit in which
{ said railroad is plaintiff or defendant Ii
the everyday occurrence In Iowa an,
elsewhere. 1t goes without saying tina
only few judges feel that they are I'M
der any obligation, real or implied, TO
such favors. but 1t is bad system. Ant
the writer is certain that with the fire.
pass system done away with in SO ia
as legislators or judges are concerned
the railroads themselves would be bene
flied In many cases by the firm stand i,
their favor many would take In our leg
islative halls IL said legislators coul,
thus Independently act, knowing thei
constituents would not ascribe un
worthy motives to them. 1t would Ger
tainly do much to end common ex
preston that the railroads own our leg
islators body. soul and breeches'
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