The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-05-19
OFFICIALS AND MISCELLANEOUS should Not Accept Free Railroad
 Passes.
Birmingham. May 17. 1901.


 Birmingham, May 17, 1901.
 Editor The Advertiser:
 Many speakers and writers have call ed attention to things the convention ought to correct. Why have none of them menroned the use of free passes by legislators and other officials? There seems to be a sort of moral cowardice, which silences the press and public men as to this constant viola ton of the Constjtution.
 Those in position to know assert that in nearly every legislature members who did not receive gifts of free trans- portation from railroad companies were the exception; that numbers of high State officials and not few judges hold annual passes and that many county and city officials are con- stantly demanding transportation gifts from corporations. At the last session of the legislature, if the press correctly reports 1t. Senator gave a social din- ner and a railroad hauled his guests many miles to his home and back, free. What was the motive? At the last session the members of the legislature. or the bulk of them. accepted the free Maraf Gras excursion. Do they ex- pect nothing in return.
 The Constitution makers in 1875 seemed to think that the transportation companies thrust passes on public ser wants, and forbade such corporations to give such favors to legislators and public officials. but said nothing about the persons who accepted them. The shoe should have been on the otbsr foot. Public officials should have been to ask or receive such favors. The violations of the constitution in this respect have gone on so long, that many good men, who do not stop to weigh the matter in it's true light. ac- cept and ask for these passes, without at all realizing that they are not only violating their oaths of office but com hitting the grayest sort of official im- propriety. The excuse is, "they all do few questions they could have no doubt that their action was blameworthy
 Let them ask themselves If these 'courtesies" are given to lawmakers because railroads love them. Are they not really coerced? Let them ask how many men are given passes when in off, lice who are refused passes when out of office. Let them inquire if these passes are not given on the idea of extending courtesies in self defense" Have not the railroads found out, ia many instances, they cannot get fair treatment unless they make gifts of free transportation to officials? Do railroads feel free to refuse a pass tor who votes on important bills, or from judge who decides causes in which they are concerned? Let them what the difference in morals between railroad company giving a Judge or legislator twenty dollars in or twenty dollars in money. The State pays mile- age to it's legislators. When a company gives a legislator ! free pass, it enables him to save his It puts money in his pocket IS directly as if the railroad company handed him g. bill or a check for the Still, every session the people have seen numbers of legislators who pass legislation in which these corposa- tions and the people are concerned. not only getting passes for themselves, but actually demanding and receiving them for their friends.
 It Is human nature when men put themselves under obligations to wish 10 return them. As legislators gener- erally have no means of returning such favors except by their votes, they very frequently give their votes in the direc- -lon requested Dy the roads Who issue the passes. The independence of the legislator is destroyed by accepting passes. and the people lose faith in the of his acts and votes. It needs only a little reflection to teach public officials that it is wrong for them % accept gifts of any kind from people who are dependent for favors or rights lpon their official acts. Reason ought to each an official if he will only stop to hink. that he does wrong in accepting gifts of any kind from people who give hem to him because he is an official. t is all very well for man Lto-sev hat taking gifts of this sort in no way affects his acts or judgment. Lord Bacon made the same argument when le was impeached for taking bribes. Experience shows these things do con- rol mems judgments ordinarily. With some the influence is exerted uncon- with others consciously.
 An official not only ought not to do wrong, but he ought to be careful not o do things which have--the appear lnce of wrong. Transportation on free passes costs the railroads of the State thousands of dollars. While they are