The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-10
RAILROAD NEWS.
The Passing Of the Railroad
Pass.
Holding of Favors a Mark of
Glass Distinction.
CONDITIONS CHANGED.
Statesmen Who Use Passes Not
Useful Public Servants.
Gossip and Matters. OF Interest
in Railroad Circles.

There never was more than one real
class distinction in this country. Some
people had more money than others,
to be sure. Some lived more luxuri-
ously and ostentatiously. Some had
handles to their names, being colonies,
judges. senators, presidents, and the
like. But all these distinctions were
superficial. The real cleavage was be-
tween those who were the servants
and those who Wene the masters of
transportation agencies; those. who
paid fare and thosessl % who svJrEEnsd e on on
passes. ,T-iIasiD - +.
There was Hardy hamlet too
humble to contain. one or more mem
bers of this aristperacy. Shippers.
politicians. EDITORS, even clergymen,
nobility. In the real heydey of pass
giving, the friends of the friends of
the friends of the great secured faVorS
for themselves. Undergraduates at
the western state universities, which
are usually situated at the state capt.
tails, went to their local assemblymen
for passes on which to go home for
Thanksgiving and the Christmas holi-
days. Every tiniest service to the rail-
road corporation itself was requitted
by magnificent largesse.- What do the
initials of this road stand fog e., asked
a traveller of a. lady. who sat be-
est replied the lady 'ingenieusly.
Madam" interpoSed an official of the
road who sat unrecognized in the seat
behind, there is a life pass over all
stories told in the great days that are
gone. Not since kings went about
flashing signet rings. and knighting
casual acquaintanees. has there been
anything like their glamor and their
expansiveness.
The disappearance of any privileged
class involves great social changes,
and this Is no exception. One of the
transformations is mentioned by a
Washington correspondent:
''They do say that not in many years
have so many national Legislators
come back to WashtnBton9at tffesopen-
Ing. of the session unaccompanied by
their families. Am lun preced denied
number of senators and representa-
tfves will live bachelor lives till after
the holidays, and then he Joined by
their families. Many others who have
been IN the habit regularlyiOofs. bring
ing their families at the beginning Of
the session will not bring them at all.
this winter; the three months of the
short session doesn't constitute jus
tthcaton. in their minds, for moving
the entire domestic establishment
= Down at the bottom, of
these troubles is the fact that free
transportation is no more. The states
man who came to town on a pass
vertise the fact. however, because
there is a growing feeling that the
statesman who uses the pass isn't the
most desirable public servant The
members, indeed, get liberal allow-s
ances of mileage for their travel, but
there is no arrangement for transport
ing their families at public expense
They must have passes or pay"
The immediate question is whether
our institutions can survive internal
changes like this We do not refer
merely to the deterioration in IeeisIa-
ton that must ensue when our mem
bers of congress are deprived of their
wives advice The unofficial pass
holders had functions. too, in the com
Snunities to which they belonged They