Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-16

keep II.
People with Passes.
This pass question interests not only the
/ 200, 900 employees Of American railways,
but possibly 90 per cent of all the con-
gressmen, judges, Legislators, in short most
ONCE holders, national, state, municipal and
county, practically all the newspaper edi-
tors and other politicians, press attaches,
publishers Of every kind, from programs
to the great dailies, promoters of fairs and
expositions, theatrical and circus advance
agents, shippers and the next Of kin of all
these, and thousands more besides. 1t is a
fact that every eighth passenger on a rail-
road train is a deadhead. The average is
five deadheads on every passenger train
in the United States. II this vast amount
Of free transportation could be evenly dis
tributed. there would be a free ride of
twenty-five miles once a year for every
man, woman and child in the country. The
average fare is 2 cents per mile and a
5O-cent trip for every inhabitant would be
practically $40, 900, 900 worth of transporta-
ton.
The discontinuance of passes, however.
would not add anything like that sum to
the net earnings of the roads. Indeed, It
Is doubtful IL the net would be increased
more than $4,000 900 annually, but even in
an aggregate Of 3525, 900, 900 which the COM
mon carriers had left after paying operating
expenses in 1900, the sum OF IS, OOO. 900 is
well worth considering. 1t would pay one
sixth of the railway taxes.
Every pass issued by a railroad must be
charged to some 'account"-employe. ex-
change. advertising, political, personal.
complimentary or something. One per-
sistent young man when asked to state the
account on which 8 pass could be issued TO
him, replied, cheek" That was an excep-
tional confession.
Statistics of Deadheads.
Generally speaking the ~deadheads, like
ancient Gaul. are divided in three denart-
ments and the volume Of travelling is ap-
proximately:
Miles per year.
Empioyes 10000, 900
Political and advertising ........... SOO'0OO,0OO
These figures are not mere random
guessea, but are based on the data OF a
typical 1.200-mile system. and they are
rather under than over the absolutely cor
rect statistics, IL such could be obtained.
Employees will not be cut on for a long
time. II they over are the companies win
have to reimburse them for money spent in
travelling on company business. And should
an employe want to visit some point on
his own road he would discover company
business calling him there. The most feas-
ible plan yet proposed is TO issue mileage
books in lieu OF passes and keep a strict
account Of the quantity used by each en-
ploye.
Vice President Paul Morton OF the Atchi-
son. Topeka & Santa Fe says: There
should be no passes printed-not a single
one for anybody"
President Samuel Spencer Of the South
ern railway says that employees ought to
pay fare just as they pay hotel bills and
put the cost OF the tickets in their expense
accounts. when travelling for the company.
Former President S. r. Galloway OF the
New York Central told the Industrial com.
mission that he was opposed to passes. al
would cut the whole thing on tomorrow Il
/ had my way" he stated.
President NJ. z. Ingalls, OF the big Four
thinks that every railroad should pass III
own employees. but II they want TO trave
over other lines, "let them pay their way
and II IL Is on railway business they viii
be repaid upon vouchers for their ex
penses."
OF the i've ~deAdheads for every passengeI
train one Is trAyeliDT on an exchange pass