The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-04-03
TICKET sOALPINa,
The Demornlizing Eject ON Railroad En-
ployeea Of this Questionable business,
From the PHILADELPHIA Press

The Demoralising Eject on Railroad Em-
pioyeea Of this Questionable Business,
From lhe Philadelphia Press
The Developments In the recent trials
OF railway conductors In Philadelphia
and elsewhere for embezzling bring 10
light u tneW feature In the 10 called
business OF ticket scalping, and explain
very clearly one OF the principal reasons
for the crusade which Ia being waged
by the railroad companies against the
gentry whose boast II IL that they can
discount the standard rates OF the com
panleB, There was for u long time an
element OF mystery in this peculiar traf-
iic, which was partially diepelled when
the methods OF the scalpers were yenti-
lated IN the courts and by the clear OK.
positions OF railway officers on the sub
ject,
II Ia apparent that the scalper derives
some OF his support from some OF the
various links, large and small, OF the
longer lines between distant points. Az
4 matter OF course, rates by the various
lines between important centres must
be uniform, and the longer lines, by
reason OF their greater length aud time
OF transit, could not, and very properly
80, hope 10 obtain any considerable pro.
portion Of the through traffic save by
the operation OF the acalper, who
buys For the intending traveller who
falls into his hands, a regular ticket
by one OF the longer routes, sells II 10
him Tor dollar or no less than II cost,
collecting u bonus from several OF the
short lines composing this route ~ a re-
ward for diyertlng the traveller from
more direct lines, and p0cketlng fair
profit on tho transaction, although the
passenger may not DO 40 fortunate, az
the greater length Of time consumed on
the Trip, and consequent increase In
cost OF meals and sleeping aCcOmmOda-
ll0As, may more than cover the saving
In the cost OF the ticket, and the traveller
has no compensation for his lost time.
But this and other operations which
the scalper n wont TO consider as "legiti'
mal0,' would scarcely explain the mag
nitudo which his profits must assume 10
maintain him In the trailc, and these
late trials furnish the Information ne.
ceasary 10 complete q solution Of the
mystery, The testimony showed that
the railway empl0pes retained the tick
el8 collected from passengers and sold
them ut nominal rates 10 the scalpera
who resOld them TO travellers at q dis
count from standard rates, the com
| paniea thus carrying two or more pas
sengors on the same ticket.
These disclosures emphasize will
painful clearness the moral character Oi
the scalplng enterprise, For years pas
II has been the aim of railroad com
panies 10 10 adjust their rules and regu
latiOna ~ 10 relieve conductors from
even the slightest lmputatiOn Of dls
honesty Whether this has been from mo
tiye3Oi s0lf'interest or not, is lmmatGria
TO the point NJ Issue, The result hal
been apparent In the esprit du corps and
The morale Of tholr employees The feel
Ing that In view Of the safeguards
thrown around them, they were above
suspicion, has wrought q remarkable
change In this class Of employees, ana
has made the position OF railway con,
duct0r u highly honorable, aa II Is q re
spOnslble and eNactlng calling, But
| Just as this condition OF things has been
NO happily cOnsummlted, q new element
Of evil arises, and II ls not strange that
amongst such q host Of employees sOmC
should h0 found willing 70 listen 10 The
tomplings Of the scalper aud bCcOm,
eventually his willing but guilty tools
In tho cause OF morality, aud In be-
half Of an important aud deserving
clOss of railway employees, We cal
heartily endorse the efforts Of the trans
pOrlNtion lines TO utterly abolish thi
tralllc, which has long been a misde
mean0l In this state, andwo earnesll!
hope the various states will speedil!
take cOgnlzancO Of the growing evil an(
by statute similar 10 our own, put thl
sCalper under the ban Of the law anC
compel railroad companies TO redeem
for cash from passengers their unused
or partially used tickets, In the mean
time the traveller will do well to con
slider whether he eau c0nsciontiousl,
aid the scalper or Incur the risk O
riding on "A stolen Ticket,