The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-03-06
.ANT|-RA|LROAD
NOTION RAMPANT
Sentiments Of Gree Pass Baker
Growing Serious in
Congress.
GAINEs's SWEEPING MEASURE
GAlNEs's SWEEPING MEASURE
Representative Recites Amazing
Conditions in Backing Up His
Anti-Pass Bill.

(From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON, d. c., March 5.-The
bill, prohibiting railroad companies issuing
passes to anybody save employees OF their
own and OF other railroad companies.
Representative Gaines, Of Tennessee, has
introduced In the House, stands ar chance
to pass. In the last Congress, Repre-
sentative Baker introduced u bill of the
same import and he was simply laughed
at. and to-day his sobriquet is Free
Pass Baker.
But there was little anti-railroad senti-
ment in Congress then. Now, 1t Is ram
pant: in fact, there is scarcely q measure
aimed at railroads which will not receive
serious consideration. Last year, there
was not at any time the slightest chance
of the passage OF the bill which the
House passed, providing for the govern
mental regulation Of railway rates. This
year 1t will go through the Senate and be
placed on the statute books. The Gillespie
Tillman resolution, providing for an inves-
tigation of the Pennsylvania in terms that
will produce the most searching investi-
CATION ever undertaken by the govern
ment, has been adopted by the House
and Senate.
And while the railroads have cut OF
all passes this year, possibly a cause of
the wave of anti-railroad sentiment which
is sweeping over the national Legisla-
ture. Mr. Gaines proposes to go further
and prohibit the roads from ever renew
ing the custom of sending passes 20 law
State or national. and from 49,
suing any form of free transportation, not
intended as pure charity.
In the course of his recent speech on
the subject, Mr.. Gaines said he thought
he could show that officers of the govern
ment had been using passes, and, PEE
sumably, charging the government mile
age.
graft, to say the least. whether SO in
tended or not"
Practices Preaching
Be 1t understood that Mr.. Gaines has
never in his life ridden ON free pass.
There are said to be several members of
Congress who do not use passes and
portation from khe railroads. This is
true Of the minority o: the members.
however, and the bits Of pasteboard, au-
thorizng conductors to accept sight of
1t in lieu of ticket, are eagerly sought.
or were sought. before the roads cut of
everybody. A
Mr.. Gaines made some startling state
ments in mis- argument He quoted from
a justice OF the Supreme Court of North
Carolina. who rendered an opinion against
the Southern Railroad, which was indict-
ed for issuing and honoring an annual
pass granted a member OF the State Leg
islature. Justice Douglas, son OF Ste
phen a. Douglas, said in rendering a
decision against the railroad:
1T is currently reported that a hun
dred thousand passes were issued In the
State OF North Carolina within the year
1897 OF our three leading railroad sys-
TENS. one reported over $1,000 passes is
sued. while another reported over 10000.
1t Is needless to suppose that transport
tation OF \such great pecuniary value
would be given without some return,
either present or prospective. and In any
aspect It's continuance would be unjust
to the public interest and dangerous to
the public welfare. Free transportation
to so large an amount would necessarily
place an additional burden upon tho tray
cling public to make up the deficiency.
while its irresponsible distribution would
be n serious menace to public morality"
1900 Passes for One Member.
Mr. Gaines mentioned. in the course
of his argument, that member OF the
member of Congress, was reported to have
obtained 100 free passes from the rail-
roads and to have sold them in Nashville.
Mr.. Gaines quoted from the testimony OF
railroad presidents and other railroad
men before the Industrial Commission In
1899, for the purpose of showing that the
railroads would be more glad than any
body else to discontinue the practice Of
pass-giving, but that 1t was almost i'm
possible to do so. President Spencer Of
the Southern. testified before this COM
mission as follows:
1.-THE pass system has grown to be an
abuse throughout the entire country, and
1t is an abuse on the Southern Just as 1t
is on other roads, but hope not to the
same extent. should like to
see statute passed that there should
not be ono Issued to any one.'
Mr.. Gaines said he spoke as the friend
of the railroads In ting the anti
pass statute. and quoted an intimate
friend Of his. n we'll known railway off,
cial Of Tennessee, to the effect that "he
could pay his taxes and not have any
trouble with the State OF Tennessee over
taxes. as he occasionally had. II every
body would pay his fare over the road"
1.-THE morals OF the whole country arc
suffering from this free pass ulcer" de-
clared Mr.. Gaines. Cure 1t now. The
public morals OF the country arc trenched
upon, as we'll as the revenues OF the rail-
roads, which the railroads are Justly en-.
titled to have"