Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-09
ONE PASS Bill
REPORTED TODAY
The Railroad Committee Makes
a Start in Getting Things
Moving
RECORD OF OTHER STATES
Text of the Hughes Anti-Pass Meas
ure and the Turner Bill on the Same
Subject - The Senate Committee
Hears Arguments From the Authors
of the Bills Today.
RECORD OF OTHER STATES
Special to Times-Republlcan

Special to Times Republican
Des Moines Feb 9.-The railroad
committee of the house have made
brave start in the direction of getting
things to moving on the pass question
by reporting to the house this morn
ing, recommending for passage the
Hanna bill to give everybody passes.
1t requires all railroads to give free
passes, good in Iowa, to all state Of
ficers, members of congress, Judges OF
courts and members of the legisla-
ture," on demand OF said officers. This
is the bill which Hanna referred to
jokingly as a legalizing act. He says
they all get passes, anyway and there
can be no objection to making 1t le-
gal. The vote in the committee was
almost unanimous, only two or three
voicing protest The railroad COM
mittee, at the head OF which Is Mr..
Wise of Black Hawk, had been criti-
cised for doing nothing and the COM
mittee set out to give the house some
work. The same committee also re-
ported favorably Il modified form of
the Wright bill i'll regard to the liabil-
ity of common carriers. The bill orig
inally provided that where there has
been damage to a shipment of goods
suit may be commenced in any county
over which the line passes. The modi-
fication is to permit suit in the county
at the origin of the shipment, at the
termination or In any county where
the plaintiff may reside, II upon the
line over which the shipment passed.
1t is announced that In the senate
end of the assembly there will also be
things doing on the pass question from
this time. The senate committee met
today to listen to the authors of the
two bills. The Hughes bill is directly
prohibitive of passes to certain speci-
fled persons ard especially aimed at,
officials and delegates to conventions.
1t also touches telephones and tele-
graphs He has made study of the
question and has gathered the anti
pass provisions of all the states, that
have such a provision. He gave the
information to the committee at the
meeting today. There are eleven
states that have an anti-pass provi-
sion in the constitution. these being
Alabama.-5 Arkansas, California, Ken
lucky, Missouri. Mississippi, New
York, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Wash
ington and Florida. There are num-
Der Of states, including Wisconsin.
that have statutory laws prohibiting
passes. 1t is Senator Hughes claim
that far greater number follow the
plan of his bill by specifically naming
the persons or class of persons to
whom passes shall not be given and
but few prohibit passes to all and then
attempt to except. 1t is Senator
Hughes contention that the plan as
adopted by Turner causes cornplica-
tons, as in making exceptions it is
more than likely that some one will be
forgotten and not excepted. He calls
attention to the fact that the inmates
at the Soldiers Home who have been
riding on half fare permits granted by
the railroads would be cut off under
the Turner bill unless they rode as
subjects to charity which most would
resent
The Hughes bill is copied after the
Wisconsin law which has recently been
enacted. The Pennsylvania constitu.
tional provision is the shortest on rec
ord and the most sweeping. Ut pro-
other transportation company shall
grant free passes, or passes at a dis
count. to any person except officers or
employees of the company"
Anti.Pass Laws.
The Alabama constitution provides
that no railroad shall give passes
or tickets at discount to any
member of the general assembly or
any state or United States officer.
Arkansas provides that the general
assembly shall prevent the giving of
passes to any state office, legislative,
executive or judicial
Florida provides that transportation
other than as 1t is given to the general
public shall not be given to any leg
islator or state official.
Kentucky provides that no passes
shall be given to any state, district,
county, city or town official and the
acceptance of such pass or ticket at q
discount shall work forfeiture of the
office
Mississippi prohibits giving passes
to any state, district, county or NUM-
cipal officer except the railroad COM
missioners
Missouri prohibits giving passes TO
all officials Of the state, county, dis
trict, city or town and the acceptance
shall work a forfeiture of the office.
Washington puts the provision ON
the officials and prohibits any and all
persons holding public office from ac-
cepting passes or transportation other
than is offered generally to the pub
lic
California provides that no passes or
transportation at reduction shall be
given or offered to any person holding
a position of honor, trust or profit ir
the state and public officers accepting
such shall forfeit their office.
New York prohibits alike any public
official from asking or accepting and
any transportation company from of
fering or giving passes.
Idaho provides that any legislator
accepting pass or ticket shall have
deducted from his allowance for mile
age the number of miles he travels on
such trans portation attending the ses-
sions of the legislature.
The Hughes Bill.
The Hughes anti-pass bill in full is