The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1916-06-24
MILLIONS SPENT
TO MOLD OPINION
Efforts to Influence Legislation
Costs Railways Vast Sums
Every Year.

CLEVELAND, Ohio, June 24.-The
following statement was issued to-
day by the Transportation Brother
hoods
1t is suggested to the railroads that
an additional way Of conserving rail-
road funds would be to discontinue
contributions to campaign funds and
to save the enormous sums that it
costs the railroads annually in the
endeavor to influence legislative bo-
dies, etc.
Millions of dollars are annually ex-
pended by the railroads in the en-
deavor Ito mold public opinion" and
to secure the passage and defeat of
laws in which the officials or their
friends might be interested.
An investigation which is now in
progress by the interstate commerce
commission into affairs Of the Louis
Vile & Nashville railroad, shows that
tremendous sums have been ex-
pended for purposes that are not pro-
vlded for in the charters. of, the rail-
road companies.
Effort to Control Legislators.
1t might be assumed that the BUSH
ness OF railroad company would be
the transportation Of passengers and
freight, but judging from the facts
as brought out by the Investigations
OF the interstate commerce commits
sion, the officials consider that the
business of the railroads, is to pro-
vide laws for the various states. as
we'll as to influence the election OF
state and county officials, that are
approved by the railroad officials.
In the course of single year, a
single railroad-The Louisville &
Nashville, issued to or on account of
members of legislative bodies and
| other public officials attorneys,
! newspaper representatives and va
! rious other persons (not including
officials and employees of railroad
companies), as many as 1895 free
! passes, involving 4,577,92S miles of
travel, the value of which exceeded
$130,S39.
J The Nashville, Chattanooga & st.
Louis railroad, a subsidiary of the
Louisville & Nashville, during the
same period, issued 22,255 free passes
involving 7,133,944 miles of travel,
the value of which was $200,420..
The passes issued on account OF
members Of legislative bodies and
other public officials were distributed
among state senators, representatives
and other state official, county and
city officials and judges of various
! courts.
These facts made public through
the interstate commerce commission
investigation, are doubtless indicative
of the wide spread abuse of the free
pass evil on the railroads in different
parts of the country.
Condemned by Commissions.
The commission does not hesitate
to condemn this practice Of the car
rlers. In well chosen words, the COM
mission says ''such laws reveal the
manner in which these carriers have
dipped into practically every domain
OF public and private life by the in.
trumentality of the free pass. There
is scarcely a walk of life which is
not represented in this procession Of
recipients of passes, from the fedora
bench to the local politician and thu
sheriff who summons the jury. The
threads represented by these passe!
tie thousands of citizens to the car.
riers through improper relations"
The lack Of morality reflected b!
the facts here compiled, is menac,
to the institution of a free people,"
No wonder the interstate commerce,
commission strongly recommend
that the practice of railroads in ex
pending their funds for the purpos
Of influencing the laws Of the coun
try as we'll as the abuse of privat,
car travel be restricted by the rail
roads.
If this recommendation were fol
lowed by the roads there would b,
less cause for complaint as to in
sufficient revenue. Protection to thi
one avenue of economic waste" /,
railway operation would alone NOR
than enable the roads to establish tn
efght-hour day principle in freigh
service without additional expense.
MACHINISTS RAISE WAGES.
OWOSsO, Mich, June 24.-Ma
chlnists employed by the Ann Arbo
railroad L.