The Topeka state journal., 1905-09-12
PASSES FOR ALL.
State Officers TakeAdvantage of
Positions.
Giving Free transportation
Violation of Law.
COLEMANDOESN'TTALK
Refuses to Say Whether He Uses
Passes or Not.
Mr.. Dayhoff and Others Admit
Their Use.
DOESN'T PHASE THEM.
All Say They Are Not Influenced
by Passes.
Neverless Law Is Firm on
Proposition.
DOESN'T PHASE THEM.
All Say They Are Not Influenced
by Passes.
Neverless Law Is Firm on
Proposition.

Every state officer of Kansas carries
not only railroad but Pullman passes
This is evidently in violation of the
express provisions of the law but they
will not give up their passes.
An examination of some of the ex-
isting railroad laws of the state of
Kansas indicates that it is absolutely
unlawful for the railroad companies
officials. This is in spite of the fact
that the anti-pass bill was defeated at
the last session of the legislature.
Under existing laws, the railroad
commissioners have authority, on
complaint of the attorney of the board,
to investigate all public officials, from
the governor down, and determine
whether or not they are using free
transportation in violation of law. If
the board should find that free trans
portation has been illegally issued, it
could order the same cancelled.
There are three supplemental cita-
uonS from the law which indicate that
Attorney Carr Taylor of the board of
railroad commissioners, or Attorney
General c.. c. Coleman have the au-
thority to make such an investigation.
Section 1886, general statutes of
1901 says: mo railroad company
shall charge, demand, or receive from
any person, company or corporation
for the transportation of any prop
erty, or for any other service, a great
er or less sum than it shall at the
same time charge, demand, or receive
from any other person, company or
corporation, for a like service from
the same place, or upon like condi-
tions, and. under similar circurn-
stances; and. ALL CONCESSION OF
RATES, drawbacks. and contracts for
special rates, SHALL BE OPEN AND
ALLOWED ALL PERSONS, COM
panies and CORPORATIONS alike"
Section II. Chapter $40, Session
Laws of 1905, page $685. contains a
limitation as follows:
Nothing herein or in the act to
which this is supplemental shall pre-
vent the carriage, storage, or handling
of freight free. or at reduced rates for
the state, for the city, county or town
government, or for charitable pur-
poses, or to and from fairs and ex-
positions for exhibition thereof, or for
the free carriage of destitute and in
digent persons, or the issuance of mile
age or excursion or passenger tickets;
nor to prevent railroads from giving
special rates or free transportation to
the officers and members of the Kansas
National Guard, to ministers of reli-
gion, inmates of hospitals, eleemosy-
nary or charitable institutions, or to
any railroad officials, agents, employees,
attorneys, witnesses attending court or
before the commissioners on behalf of
such railroad company, stockholders or
directors
Section 16, Chapter $40, Session
Laws of 1905 says:
s'It shall be unlawful for any rail-
road company or other common car
rier to GRANT ANY SPECIAL
PRIVILEGES TO ANY PERSON,
of preference in furnishing cars, side
track facilities, sites for elevators,
mills or warehouses, OR ANY OTHER
FORM OF PREFERENCE. privilege
or discrimination"
They All Use Passes.
All of the state officials, and so far as
known, all of the justices Of the SUI
preme court not only have annual passes
over all the lines of Kansas roads for
their own use, but they also have Pull
man passes, and are able to get passes
for their friends by simply sending a,
request to the proper authorities of the
railroads. Most of the state officers do
not attempt to deny that they use trans
portation.
Attorney General Coleman gets pass
es, but as he is local attorney at Clay
Center for the Union Pacific, Rock Is
land and Leavenworth, Kansas &
Western, the law would allow him to
use passes on these lines, however
questionable it might be for the attor
ney general to be acting as a railroad
attorney during his term of public Of
fee Whether General Coleman is also
the local attorney for the Pullman COM
DdQy ana LnG w GSlGIn .OA14O 4CACSAoPA
company is not. known, but the charge
is made that he receives Pullman pass
es and telegraph franks.
When today shown the above citations
concerning the use of passes, Mr.. Cole
man said:
Il have nothing whatever to say about
the matter. If the matter ever comes
up to me in such shape that am called
upon fod an official opinion, I will be
ready to give it.
Concerning the statement that he
uses railroad and Pullman passes and
Western Union stamps Mr.. Coleman
said: "I would naturally expect the
state Journal to make such a charge. 1
have nothing to say about it.
Dayhoff Is Satisfied.
state Superintendent Dayhoff, when
asked concerning the use of passes by
state officials said:
whats the harm if passes are used!
| l don't believe that the conduct of any
| official is affected by them. OF course,
| have passes. but there is nothing that
| could do for a railroad company if
wanted to- They simply extend them
to me as courtesy. Winchell, OF the
Rock Island says that one of the as
| sets of a railroad company is public
good will, and think that is all the
| railroads want. They give a man a
pass and expect his good will. OF course
| I am a publisher. and have an independ-
ent source of railroad transportation
But do not believe that passes preju-
1 dice officials AGAINST the public and IN