The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-28
AN OFFER OF HALF A LOAF.

AN OFFER OF HALF A LOAF.
 Frequently in the past few weeks The Advertiser has expressed the conviction that the right thing would yet be done by the Constitutional Convention or the official pass evil. Some persons and papers disagreed with us as to this judgment. but we persisted in it.
 Now there Is evidence in hand to prove that we were right. The Com mittee on Corporations has reported In the report is this provision:
 Section ls No railroad or other trans portation company or corporation shal grant free passes or sell tickets or passe. at discount other than as sold to tho public generally to any member of the Legislature. or to any officer exercising judicial functions under the laws of thi' State. and 7hy such smesn3,r or officer receiving such pass or ticket for himsel or procuring the same for another. shal be guilty of misdemeanor. and upoI conviction shall be fined not exceedini $500. and at the discretion of the cour trying the case in addition to such hn' may be imprisoned for term not exceed ing six months: and upon conviction shal be subjectNto impeachment, and remova from office. The courts having jurisdic ton shall give this law specially in charg' to the Grand Juries. and when the evi dence is sufficient to authorize an in dictment the Grand Jury must present true bill.
 There are additional details as to the method of executing the provision, but the above is the essence of the pro- posed prohibition. It will be seen that 1t aims at the bulk of the evil, and provides an effective punishment. The Committee has 'unmistakably recog- nized the danger and the wrong of off ciais taking passes, and has boldly proposed an efficient way to stop two large and important classes from re- ceiving them.
 This proposition reflects credit upon the Committee in the light of the fact that it contains a considerable num- Der of railroad attorneys who had been assumed in some quarters to be averse to any step towards reform in this matter. It shows that all the mem- bers of the Committee are trying to do their duty as members of the Conven- ton.
 This report is virtually the com promise measure on this matter to which The Advertiser alluded some days ago. At that time this paper said:
 We don't believe the majority will take to any such a compromise. 1t ad- mits the evil, but undertakes to remedy ri trft Judges and legislators are most cor rupted by passes, let them be reformed, and allow other officials to be tempted as much as they like This is poor logic and shabbier morals.
 Tn, our Judgment, if judges and legis- lators should be deprived of passes, all other State officials. with a few excep- tions. should be under the same pro- hibition. And so should county officials and city officials. If 1t is admitted that the pass system is an evil needing re- form in some departments, why is it not right and expedient to include all officials? The reform should be com- plete. thorough, sweeping and effective. Ak " AAiG " uO 0 dlL-Wdy job."
 We see no reason to change this view since the Committee has made it's re. port. We are sorry the Committee has stopped short of complete reform in this matter. We do not know what arguments they may be able tc advance in favor of letting other State and County and City officials take passes. Perhaps their reasons may be convincing. but it is difficult to con. ceive of their adequacy.
 In the meantime. we welcome the Committees report as proof that there will certainly be a considerable re- form of the pass evil. That half loat is better than no bread is an old saw which has much force. But we trust that the Convention will accept the Committees recognition of the need foI reform and make its logic the basis for thorough measure. Amendments should be made that will leave no fa- vored classes to enjoy special privi- Iepes