The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1901-02-20
SOME PLAIU TALK
To siXty.four Legislators Who Voted
for Free Passes.

4o1 GLeS ooB5S.
The following plain talk from An5er-
son Mail is commended to the sixty
four members Of the House Of Repre-
BeDtatives Who voted for free passes:
And the house by vote Of 81 to
38 repealed the anti-free pass ls1l
Sixty. four members Of the house want
the railroads to give them free passes
when the STATE gives them cents
a mile each way and they make 2
cents of that clear, ss the railroad fare
is only 8 cents mile, and if they
buy milesge book it is only q cents,
30 that they cau N axe half Of 1t clear.
But whatever it i5 the State pays it
ard more too. and Jet these 81 want
free passes. For Whst2 The railroads
are willing to give them-and why?
You plain people who york on your
farms sud business men wbo stabd in
your places Of business day after day
ask yourselves Why these railTosds are
willing to give these free passes and
then give a plain, common sense
answer to is. Do railroads do business
for the fun OF the thing? Do they not
expect returns Of some sort for every
investment? And isn't the giving Of
free passes an Investment? And DO
not the railroads know that these leg
islstors may lave to pass on legislation
affecting railroads? And don't they
know that every legislator who accepts
a free pass from them is TO that extent
under an obligation to them? They
do not call it bribery or an attempt to
buy mans influence OF his vote. Oh
no, they have a nicer name for it than
that. They call 1t exchanging courte-
sizes. "Courtesies' is 9 heap plesssnter
word and there is no unpleasant oder
about it. These legislators are sent
there to represent the interests OF the
people and some Of them have a hesp
to FAY about the ''dear people" snd
my people" and the people pay them
for their services, and not only pay
them by the day but 60 farther and
pay them good allowance for travel
ing expenses in the shape of mileage,
and then they 60 and ask the railroads
for free passes.
Why should representative ask for
q free pass? Can he be true to the
trust reposed 10 him when an issue is
joined between the people and the
railroads? Admit foe the sake Of the
argument that he can, then Why should
he put himself in q position to be sus-
pected? A true representative ought
&, be like Caesars wife, above sus
picion. We do not believe it is right
for legislators to accept free passes for
the reason as stated above that the
railroads expect return Of the cour-
tesy and a legislator should keep him
self free from any gort Of obligation to
them-nos in any spirit Of hostility to
them, but to maintain attitude of
fairness and impartiality.
When the B ,form movement began
more han 10 years ago one Of its battle
cries was mo free passes," and when
Gov. Tillmsn accepted free pass No. l
this editor ezcaria,ed him mercilessly
for accepting it; and the anti free pass
law followed and has stood for 10
years, and ne have no doubt that nine
tenths Of the people today endorse it
yes. IF, as tba father of the bill, Nr
Spears, said the Law is q reflection
upon the integrity of the public men Of
the State, what is to be said OF the N N
who repeal the law and scceps free
passes? The sn;i-frse pass low is DO
more reflection upon any lu5lic man
who proposes to do right than the Law
against larceny is a rsd .ction uDoD
good c!,iz ms Who intend to do right.
The Mail hits the nail oathe head
with every stroke.