, 1874-02-23
RAILROAD C0MbllSSl0N. BUSINESS.
An Argument to Show that General Rail-
road Ticket-officcs Are q Public
Convenience.
Alleged lmpraeticability Of Combina-
tions Against the System.

10 TIC Editor of TIC Chicago Tribune:
SIN: Mucl, has been sud mud written on tie
ong-ycxed questions Of railroad doal-bcats,"
or tho frce-pass system, and of commissions
paid Oh tickets to outside Offices, runners
scalpors. &c. 1n the principal cities through
out the country, conventions without number
| hnyc bcon held, by tho Presidents mud General
Ticket Agents Ut the different lines, to
devise plans for the withdrawal of the
obnoxious free-pass system, and the
complete overthrow OF TINT fraternity
who subsist on tho commission
business. Long, abortivo speeches have boon
made against this standing nuisance resolutions
ITO less abortivo have beon proposed and adopt
cd and binding articlcs Of agrconont have bcon
drawn up nud signed by the representative
chicfs.-tho ink Of which (proclamng aloud, in
bold autograph, the ratification mud final sottle-
lnons of this bone Of contention) would scarcely
be dry when somo representative man from one
Or other Of the lines would bs offering induce
menty,
ON THE QUIET,
to the vary class against whom he had Just
eignod tue teath-warrnnt. Other liucs would got
tho hint, and follow the same policy; then, got
ting bodor, circulars would DO surroptitiously
handed to outside Offices, runners, hotol-porters
and boarding g-honso-scalpers, Agent rep
rcsentisg therein tito claims Of his line for past,
present, anl future patronage, md all hiutng
at direct or indirect inducement for such patron
nSc; or, in other words, that, tho laboror boing
worthy OF his hiro, they would pay for suc1
labor.
From the foregoing one would infer that tho
class OF men who aro at tue hoad Of these rail-
n II INIT tfnH1 f1nHo
mon in yeracty and honor. On tho contrary,
MORE HONORABLE nopY
Of men cannot bo found anywhere than those
representing tho railroad passenger intorosts Of
this city; nnd tho snmo may DO Baid OF tho groat
body Of passonger-mon throughout tho country
Now, II such is tue case, why is it TINT these
men are not tll1o to ono another7 Arc not ho.-
or ana truth the samo all tho world over, in
whatever capacity man or body Of men may BIO
placed in society? 10 rely confidently OH ono
another, aud to know TINT our confidence is not
misplaced or abused, il the only sure backbone
OF society, and through which runs the great
channel OF commercial trust. In consideration
Of this latter sentiment why III it that our rail-
road-men act 80 faithleSsly with ono nnothor2
Tho whole secret is in a nntslo and lies at the
bottom'.-not OF the. deadl,oad system. which
could ba soon aud easily adjusted, but OF the
con.1nlssion-bnsinoss, which can never bo adjust
Cd EU long M competition exists.
Spontaneous With railroad enterprise: sprung
aof.n Tue conhiesi9h business rs al institution
'oe"'''''s Will 1supr.n.n,r sap v,o.,
railroad interests. II Is u sort Of balance Of
po"er between tno "oaKef ana stronger llnes
and ls a. safe pseycnt1'e o5 that monopoly
"Eicn tno puol'c 80 naach 9Feaa.
now prosperous Erie lno, struggling for exist
ence % aSa'ast sueh corporat1ous ny 4 TUG g Nov York
Conssn! , nna tcnnsyyanla Ccntra! taIroats tho
a Graaa I. Irnk, batting aSa!nst the Lake-Shoro
au ufGas ~ mSsselh a"t!roaas tor Eastotn busl.
ncSe tno milwaukee, d 1t. l'aul line, as against
the Nortl!Westeln, lighting for sharo in tho
Ststos o. wisconsin and Aliilnesota; the 1lli-
nols Central, with its new vt. Louis brunch, as