The Birmingham age-herald., 1902-11-09
Text of BiN Proposed by Alex
 l, London
MUST BE MADE PUBLIC
MT. London Would Not Prohibit Free Passes, But Thinks the Public Should Know Why They
 Are Used.

The following letter from Alex T. Lon don expresses his ideas on the habit of public officials using free passes and an act which he will present to the legisla- ture to remedy 1t. MT. London writes To the Editor of the Age Herald
 know of no better way to show my appreciation of the confidence of the democratic voters of this county than to attempt to return it in kind and actu- ated solely by this motive. I shall from time to time furnish drafts of the legis- lation which I propose to offer in the next legislature, with the hope and ex- pectation that the proposed measures may receive criticism at the hands of my islation is proposed.
 I wish 1t to be borne in mind that these proposed measures are no pet schemes of mine, but are offered solely with the idea of benefitting the public If they are mistakes, no one will more readily concede it than I, and I trust that I may have the benefit of candid and ex- plicit criticisms of each bill; let no one be afraid of exciting either animosity or i'll will by any criticism that he may make. The matters concern the public alone, and I simply desire the advice of my friends and fellow citizens in invoking criticism.
 Free Pass Evil.
 The following bill is suggested by the effort that has been made to check the free pass evil. I have no purpose to prohibit the use of free passes by public officers if they can obtain them legiti- mately, but fail to see any reason why a public official and his family should ride free on a railroad simply because he holds a public office. Many officials should, by statute, be allowed to go free and hence l would not undertake to pro- hibit the use of free passes. The pro- posed bill imposes no burden upon per- sons fairly entitled to the use of a free pass, but only requires that he shall state the ground upon which he rides free, and that this statement shall be made public, and if the public is informed of the reasons, and they are fair, there should be no just cause of complaint
 ALEX. T. LONDON.
 The Proposed Act.
 A Bill to be entitled An Act to regulate
 the use or procurement of free passes
 or reduced rate tickets or passes on
 railroads, steamboats and street rail-
 road by persons holding office in this
 State.
 Be it enacted by the legislature of Ala bama:
 Section 1. That every person holding office under this state, or any county city or other political subdivision thereof who shall use or ride upon any railroad, stamboat, street car or other public con- veyance on a free pass or free ticket, or at any rate of fare, transportation or carriage less than that paid by the public generally for like service, or who shall procure the same for another, shall with in the first seven days of the months of April, July, October and January of each year, make and file with the state audi tor in case he Is a state officer. and with the judge of probate of the county of his residence in case he is a county officer and with the clerk or other like officer of the city of his residence. if he is an officer of a city or town, a statement un- der oath signed by him, showing the line or lines of railroad or street railroad or steambot upon which he has ridden upon such free pass free ticket, or reduced rate of fare or transportation. and the name or names of all persons for whom he has procured passes, free tickets or reduced rates of transportation or fare, and in such statement such officer shall stateA fully the grounds or reasons for the issue to him, or such other person or persons of such free pass or ticket, or the allowance of such reduced rate of fare or transportation.
 Section 2. At the time of making and il- ing said statement such officer shall pay to the officer with whom the same Is filed a fee of twenty-five cents.
 Must Be Published.
 Section 8. The officer with whom said statement Is filed shall within ten days after said statements are filed, cause to be printed in some newspaper of general circulation published in the county or city where the same are filed, an advertise ment with proper heading, showing the anne of every such officer filing the same, with his title, and the expenses of such publication shall be paid by the off, cer making the same out of the fees re- ceived by him, and the balance thereof may be retained b ysuch officer. or other wise accounted for as provided by law.
 Sec. 4. The statements so filed shall be filed and retained by the officer receiv-