The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-01-30
Fight Was on Moral Grounds.

ion, but it is somewhat in advance of
sen iment in the state. No serious ct
fort has been made to abolish all passes,
or to reduce passenger fares below the
Scent basis. The antipass, fight was
The people of Wisconsin have never re-
ceived a dollar Of benefit in reduction
J Of rates.
They are satisfied with the law, how
ever. It would be hard to find think,
ing man on either side of the railroad
controversy, willing to 20 back to the
old days. The railroads are no longer
bled by pass-parasites, and their passene.
ger revenues have picked up in spite OF
the "evasions. Members Of the legis-
lature do not enjoy 9slng up th S,,t me- 4hey
agree that better results are obtained
from the sessions. Speaker Irvine L.
Lenroot Of Superior says: :,
'sThe antipass. law is generally
obeyed, and whatever violations occur
mileage books in secret violation of the
law are men who would be bought with
money, if not with railroad Transporter
" Senator George B. Hudnall, also Of
? Superior, says: =. -
and no one would seriously propose to
return to the old conditions. The vio-
, lations that we: suspect. are not numer.
Gus enough to be an argument
against the law ~ EsI,M.s+
John W. Thomas of Chippewa Falls,
railroad commissioner, says: b. 4
HAu but the Milwaukee railroad now
REQUIRE the receiver of pass to sign
a statement saying that he is not a
public officer or a member OF any polit-
ical committee. There are no passes
issued in violation Of the law, and
while we believe it has been violated
in other ways, we have never found
proof Of single instance.'
Halford Erickson, commissioner of
statistics, says:
Higher Standard Of Service.
81 have noticed since the antipass
higher type Of men in the legislature
and that they are displaying a more
serious sense Of duty than used to be
found. The members Of recent legis
latures are largely students OF public
questions, and are working them out
conscientiously.' -.
! Mr.. Erickson believes the 2-cent far,
i measure proposed in Minnesota is JUS
I to the railroad companies. He thinks
that the gross passenger revenue of the
= roads, even in Wisconsin, would be a!
large if every one paid a straight 2
cent fare. There are still enormous
amounts of free transportation givel
out in Wisconsin to private individ
uals, especially just before the politica
\ conventions.
II s,y. Provisions Of the Law. =
The Wisconsin law Of 1899, strippe,
of its verbiage, prohibits giving fire.
passes or franks to candidates or in
cumbents of public office, or to mem
bers or employees Of party committees
either for the use of themselves or an,
one else. It is made an offense eithe
to give or receive such passes or franks
and it is punished by fine Of 5000 t.
$1,000, or Imprisonment from one t
five years. No one is privileged fror
testnying in relation to violations o
the act, and any person SO testifying l
immune from prosecution.
The constitutional amendment whic
was adopted in 1902, carries all tn
foregoing provisions, and some more
It declares the giving or receiving of
pass for public official to be bribery
and in case Of conviction makes til
office vacant. It excerpts the railroa
J. performance of their duty. This ez
ception is conceded to be mistake, an
the present commissioner takes no fire
- transportation. ..5..s
\ Kept Pass; Lost His Place.
I The law has been evaded in only on
] way. It has been held that public OF
fetal who is also a railroad employe
may take transportation as pay for hi
services. l.. H. Bancroft, a La Follett
man, who was assistant attorney ger
4 eral for the two-year term just closee
4 held on to his pass on the ground tina
II he was local attorney for one Of tn
I roads at Richland Center. This wa
y good law, but not good policy for
\ La Toilette man, and Mr.. Bancroft
not now on the state payroll. Governc
! La Toilette took notice Of the point i
4 his message and bill will be intr,
j duced to prevent public officials fro
taking transportation on this pretext.
The scandalous days Of old, befo1
the 1899 law was adopted, are iok
now in Madison. It is related that eac
road used to maintain legislative pa
senger bureau at Madison, and giy
the members as many passes as the
wanted for their friends at home. I'll
a governors private secretary had pa,
il books in his desk signed in blank. 3
filled them out with whatever nan
j was wanted, and gave them out
4 political henchmen from the executi,
offices. The party organization had II
Il !, power of free and unlimited pass distr
II button. The man who paid fare
y those DAYS was - sucker. = Now
DAYS considerable free mileaaa il 1ins
u = ~ F -