(1) Nothing in the law shall prevent carriage, storage, or hauling free or at reduced rates for any city, county, or town government, nor the free carriage of destitute or indigent persons or ministers of the gospel, nor prevent the railroads from giving free transportation or transportation at reduced rates to the inmates of hospitals, or eleemosynary and charitable institutions.
(2) Nothing in the law shall be construed to prevent railroads from giving free transportation to any railroad officer, agent, or employee, or attorney, stockholder, or director of the railroad company.