The Topeka state journal., 1906-06-25
THE TaARaTER AND THE PASS.

1t Is a good idea, of course, to pro-
hibit public officials from receiving
railroad passes, but this does not neces-
sarily remedy the pass evil. This point
IS made plain by q letter written by a
central Kansas farmer to the Ellsworth
reporter. He says he has always made
it a practice to vote the straight Re
publican ticket, but he is a little dis
turbed in his mind over some things
that don't just suit him in politics.
The other day, he says, Il went to
Kansas City, the first time in seven
years. and went to the depot and
bought my ticket, went into the car and
took seat. Soon a nicely dressed
man came into the car, drunk and
talkatiye, and as I had put on my good
clothes and had a respectable look he
sat down in the same seat. The CON
ductor came around and I gave him
my ticket that cost me $50. and the
man beside me gave the conductor q
piece Of paper that looked ike a bit
of pasteboard. The conductor looked
at it, made some marks in a book and
handed it back. He kept my ticket
I said, What did he hand it back for?
He kept mine" ''Oh," said my friend,
That was a pass" "A pass said L
do you have to pay for it?" mo"
said he, 1T was given to me as a COM
pliment." did you save the life of
some big officer or prevent some
wreck ?" I asked mo" said he. Il
am interested in politics" What
side?'' asked. Republican" said he.
We'll, I am a Republican, and I never
got a pass, and have raised seven or
eight car loads of wheat on which the
freight has amounted to about 5000
for over fifteen years, and have sold
enough hogs and cattle so the freight
would amount to 500 more each year;
and that would make. as I figure.
about $4,000 that the railroads have
got from what I have raised, and
have paid for truck from the stores
that come over the railroads, and they
have never complimented me. Do you
ship much over the railroad ?" mo"
says he. Il never ship anything"
What do you get a pass for then ?p
says 1. He said he got a pass on ac-
count Of his political influence. That
he was the man In his county that de-
cided who should run for the Ieigsla-
ture and other offices and that if
man came up that he did not want
that he was beaten, and that for that
reason he had pull with the railroads.
when came home 1 talked the
matter over among my -neighbors, and
lot of US made UP our minds that we
would not vote for pass toter or for
any man unless he would make a
pledge to do all in his power to secure
the passage of a law making it a crime
to use a pass, and for a law so that we
farmers could vote for the nomination
of our own officers and not have our
viii beaten by rooters and pass holders
who ride free and get money perhaps
to bribe delegates to vote for railroad
men,"
Ordinarily it would seem that no one
ought to ride who does not pay value
received for that privilege, yet 1t seems
silly to prohibit the president of a rail-
road from allowing a personal friend
to ride with him on his railroad with
out paying fare. It would also seem
that railroad company ought to have
the privilege of carrying its own en-
ployes free If it chooses to do so.
At the same time the local politician
whose influence is secured through
passes, or who is able to "hold up,' a
railroad for passes, should certainly be
eliminated from the free list. although
he may not be a public official. The
problem is. where shall the line he
drawn? The safest way seems to Re
to prohibit the issuance Of passes to
any but bona fide officers and enplovez
of the road.