Show RAILROADS DIFFER ON PASS QUEStION Law Says January 1 and Attorneys Say I August 28 l I OTHER POINTS SETTLED Pa J Ventures Personal onal Opinion on Action J of nr I on Ia w. w Docs Does the the new railroad I rate rale law mc meant mean what hat It Jl s. says or If IC it 11 doesn't why dont don't It say a what It means was n question asked h by a local business business busi busl- ness man of a 3 passenger agent last lamit week when he was leas turned down clown downum ow on um a request for a pas Regarding the issuing of passes and amI free transportation trans trans- tho time new law is apparently tranS tranS-I plain in its statement that its pro pro- visions shall not bo be in force Corce until January 1 1 1907 as the opening words of oe the time section are mare Xo No com com- common common mon carrier subject to the provisions of oC this act shall after January 1 1907 1307 directly or Indirectly Issue etc Notwithstanding this the tho at attorneys attorneys attorneys at- at of oC most of oC the tho railroads have decided that th the tho provisions pro I lons go So In effect cf- cf effect ef ef- this week and the general s passenger passenger pas pas- agents of practically all aB of or the toads roads having agents In Salt Lake Lale or 01 doing doing- business In Utah have sent special special special cial orders to Iho tho effect that the law Jaw lawshall lawshall shall shaB lie be observed literally from lom August August Au Au- August gust S. 28 SIt 8 It seems strange that a n bOIl body of men such as those who wrangled over the new law for months In Washington was iwas unable to patch up upa a document In ii such English that at al least gt the time lime of Its ItH going In effect could not be misunderstood said tho the pass hunter You arc are Interested In Inthe Inthe Inthe the law to tho the extent of oC being liable to lo one of those to 2001 fines tines for Cor violating the time provision What hat Is your our personal opinion as to the time tho the free flee transportation clause Is effective ef effective ef- ef 7 he a asked the p passenger agen agent t. t Railroad Man Inn Sidesteps The Time railroad man sidestepped with the agility that Is 8 usually credited to lo politicians only saying raying aln ho he was not nol In the Uw legal leal department of or the road and his opinion would have no bearing on the general orders That was during business hours After a substantial I dinner and while he was enjoying a smoke and trying to forget theta there ever Cl had been such things as us time extensions exten exten- sloes cancellations or changes in routings of excursion tickets the thc passenger agent forgot a n few other characteristics of ot the the- average crae railroad man and ventured some somo personal opinions Now If you OU arc are going to write canto an any of or this dope 1010 keep me out of It he Imo said You know a railroad man has no lIer personality durin luring during business hours and after business hours he has no name Please remember ItIn ItIn ILIn It IL In the st place the railroad at attorneys at- at and heads of oC departments in it their thell prolonged sessions in various parts of or the country countr in ii which they have gone over tho the various provis ions lons of ot the law Jaw have come to lo some somo sort of oC an understanding regarding all aU the Important sections except that of or orpa pa passes es The only point on which the various vailous railroads have agreed regard regard- ing lug the thc Issuing of or free Ice transportation Is that the law shall shaJi be he enforced August August Au Au- gUl gust t 28 8 instead of oC January 1 when Its author intended It H to go In force Looks strange thai tha the one thing about the law that seems perfectly plain should bo be misread by the varl- varl I nus ous attorneys doesn't It I have a kid at home who could ride for half I fare If IC I couldn't get et a pass lot for him and 1111 If IC he lie told me January 1 meant August u 28 8 Id I'd take L' him out on the porch for fOI an Interview Of I course If Ir he were ivero drawing aI a I year Ul as a corporation lawyer It Jt would be different I Settle All 11 But Hut IM asses The questions that have been heen o of the greatest Interest to the railroad attorneys have been four One Is the of or certain portions of or the act acl Another is the necessity under tinder the new law Jaw of or carrying freight beyond the line lire of or the initial carrier lnier without delay and with a single le hill bill of lading The Thc third Is the obligation of providing refrigerator cars ice lee and elevator service cr for fOl grain in transit These have been agreed ced on b by all aU of the allot attorneys for time the principal roads I but the pass feature of oC the law Jaw and tho the persons who In tho the future will be he entitled to receive free transportation an and who will not has been heen left to o the individual roads to settle Now Xo what does that sound like to you rigger NIger In the woodpile somewhere some ome where Isn't there Heres Here's the way it might look to most anyone anone who has thought ht anything about tho time matterand matter matterand and knows anything of the time ways was of tho the co soulless ill I ess corporations The railroads rail rail- railroads roads of tho the United States Intend so far al' al as they can to continue their practice of or doing burg just about whatever I pleases them They have been able to do o that pretty much ever since Mince they I i began business and its it's going to be he no I easy casy matter to get set them out of ot that Idea Ide h Ib Is a n I ISome Some men high up tip on the tho ladder in the IHl passenger business believe bellevo tint that If IC the free frel transportation l section o otho of of tho the new Jaw law ever eVel gets before the courts It will be found to be he discriminatory ills dis and unconstitutional and they think It ought to be I dont don't be- be believe be hc believe lieve lie however that man many roads will wilt want to make malte the test for fot the they would rather U use the law as a valid reason reason for Cor refusing the man many requests for Cor free fleo transportation because the law gives no rc reserve erve or discretion to tho the railroad On tho the other hand Ill I'll Illen venture von ven ture taro a guess that no one whom a railroad railroad railroad rail rail- road really wants to can carry free will havo have to pay for fOI his transportation 1 How will they work it If U Well Veil for some some- sixty years tho time railroads havo have been H used ed to doing about as aa they pleased In sonic some matters maller and Its It's hard to teach an old dOl dog now new tricks That might aught make a no good god oo conundrum Why Is 18 a railroad like lIko an old dog j t |