The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-17
RAILROAD NEWS.
Railway Journal Favors Aboli-
tiOn of All Passes.
Summary of Movement in
Various States.
FIGURES FROM TEXAS.
Objects 20. the Passage of 2 Cent
Fare Laws.
Gossip and Matters of Interest
i'm Railroad Circles.

Most OF the governors OF states
whose legislatures are now in session,
lare recommending additional railway
Legislation in their messages, says the
Railway Age. Gov. 5Hoch of Kansas
wants passes abolished and a COM
mfttee appointed to hear arguments
on reduction of fares. Gov. Gooding
of Idaho wants a railroad commission
with plenary powers, and the abolition
of passes. Gov. Buchtei of Colorado
wants railway legislation, but says the
weak and impracticable parts of the
national law should not be enacted In
| that state, which wants to invite cap
ital as we'll as people. Gov. Toole of
Montana wants railroad commission
and a Limitation of the working hours
| of railway employees. Gov. johnson of
Minnesota wants a higher tax on
sleeping cars, semi-annual payment of
taxes by railroads, two-cents-a-mile
fare, and the abolition of passes. Gov.
Burke of North Dakota wants anti
pass legislation, further control of
passenger and freight rates, and other
regulative legislation. Gov. Cox Of
Tennessee wants railroads prohibited
from owning coal lands or engaging in
coal operations, and law preventing
public service corporations from own
ing or controlling newspapers. Gov.
Woodruff of Conn ecticut wants law
requiring corporations to put out new
stock not at par but at market value.
Gov. Deneen of Illinois wants the state
commission to have power to prescribe
a uniform system of accounting
and enlarged powers as to railroad
crossings; prohibition of increase OF
capital stock and bonded and other
Indebtedness until approved by the
commission as necessary and reason
able; and the abolition. of passes. Gov.
Davidson of Wisconsin, wants the fight
for state control kept up and extend
ed; the power of the commission
extended to include all transportation
lines, whether within municipal limits
or otherwise; and limitation of the
power of railway companies to issue
additional stock Others are being
heard from daily, and state control of
railroads promises tosbe a sufficiently
lively topic for some time to come to
satisfy Secretary Root and President
Roosevelt.
The Railroad Gazette says:
Bills to prohibit free transportation
except for railway employees and OBJ
jects of charity, already have been
presented before nearly every legisla-
ture now in session and all the. states
which have NOT enHc2ed-a9&ipass laws
seem likely to do so. This is good. The
national law prohibiting free inter-
state transportation should not be null
lifted or weakened by the device of
using passes good from state line to
state line. The use and abuse of free
passes has been a state rather tnan
national evil and the states should
abolish it. But to couple pass abolf- |
ton with compulsory rate reducuon
and assert that ''by prohibiting the Is
sue of passes the legislature increases
the passenger receipts of railways |
and therefore justly may cut down the |
maximum rate from three cents to |
two cents mile as is proposed IN I'M
nois and other states. is neither logical |
nor reasonable. In the first place the
ri iO iC
by railway employees and recipients OF
charity, who will continue to ride free
as was shown by an official report
in Texas, where out OF Il ,VoV,OOo
miles of travel 637.000,00O miles are
maid and of the 100000 miles of
free travel, 55, 900, 900 were by railway
employees, 100000 by government Of
ficials, clerks, etc, who to a large ex-
head" 100000 miles were on &C
count of newspaper advertising, FOR
which the railways nov. Will nave 10
pay cash, and of the remaining W.
fed was travelled without pay In the
name of religion, philanthropy or
charity, whose claims doubtless Will
Increase largely, rather than decrease.
are not counting upon any considerable
increase in their passenger earnings irVIn
he next place pass-giving was volun-
tary act of the railways which they Were
steadily restricting ana Wnlcn tney Wouiu
have abandoned If it had proved to result
IN a serious loss Of revenue; The , iegis the
roads in prohibiting them from doing
what they did not not &c. m to do; 5q fares ee
and thus deprive them of a large
of their regular paying Passie SEN
Touid he made up by pass restriction
Would afrront the. sense of justice. In
connection with the suggestion OF rate
ators that the increase in wages which
smnloyes have received or are now de-
will represent, a very great IN
.rea Sc of operating expenses-in the case
Of one company. $12.0o0.9o0 a. year-that
onghf to be considered in meeting popula-
demands for lower fares.