The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-31
President Given Credit for Dis
continuance Of Passes.
Got an Opinion From Moody
That They Were Unlawful.
THE REST WAS EASY.
Cassatt, Of the Pennsylvania,
Given Tip to Stop Practice.
1t Seems Their Issuance Violates
Interstate Commerce Law.

Washington, Dec s0.-President
Roosevelt is credited with having been
responsible for the action of the Penn
sylvania and other railroads in an
nouncing that in the future they would
stop the practice of issuing passes to
members of congress, politicians, and
shippers, and all other persons the
railroads wished to favor with free
transportation
Reports have 1t that the president
consulted with Attorney General
Moody and asked him for a legal
opinion on the matter. He was told
by Mr.. Moody that under the inter-
state commerce act the railroads were
violating the law when they issued
passes, and that, in effect, free trans
portation was a discrimination Just as
much as the payment of a rebate was
to a shipper. Since then, it is said. the
president has discontinued the prac-
uce Of accepting favors from the rail-
roads He paid the regular rates for
his special train in which he took his
last Journey through the south. when
ne completed his visit to every state in
the union.
This explanation of the action bv
the railroads. in which President Cas-
satt OF the Pennsylvania took the lead.
IS given by several senators. They say
mat IL was Immediately after Cassatts
visit to the White House a few weeks
ago that the first announcement was
made the Pennsylvania company
would discontinue the pfacrfos OF is
suing passes Since then many Of the
eastern roads have followed suit, and
at the meeting of the western traffic
managers yesterday with the inter-
state commerce commission it was
practically agreed that they would
greatly curtail their transportation
favors.
In the original interstate commerce
act the term transportation" is de-
fined as Including all Instrumental
ties of shipment and carriage. IN
sections 2 and of the original act the
question of passes is covered IN the
following language.
THAT if any common carrier sub
ject to the provisions or TINS act Analls
directly or indirectly, or by any special
rate, rebate, drawback, or other de-
vice charge, demand, or collect from
any person or persons a greater OF
less compensation for any service
rendered in the transportation OF pas
sengers or property, such carrier shah
be deemed guilty of unjust discrimi-
nation
And in the next section it is further
/ covered:
THAT it shall be unlawful for any
/ carrier to make or give any undue or
unreasonable preference or advantage
/ to any particular person, company,
firm, etc, or to subject any particular
I person, company, firm, etc, to any
undue or unreasonable prejudice or
/ disadvantage in any respect whatso-
/ ever"
Until this stand said by the senators
! to have been taken by President
Roosevelt no effort has ever been
made to apply the interstate COM
merce act to railroad passes. The
activity of the department Of Justice
recently in indicting traffic managers
/ for rebating is said to have con-
WINGED the railroads that Mr.. Roose-
welt was in earnest when he told
1 President Cassatt that he wanted the
giving of passes stopped. AS they have
+ been looking for good excuse for
/ some time to get rid of their free lists,
they are said to have welcomed this
chance to cut them off.