Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1884-04-03


The developments in the recent trials
Of railway conductors in Philadelphia
and elsewhere for embezzlcmet bring TO
light new feature In the so.called bus-
mess Of ticket scalping, and explain
very clearly one of the principal reasons
for the crusade which is being waged by
the railroad ,mpanies against the gen.
try whose boast ii is that they can dis.
count the standard rates of the com.
psnies. There Was for a long time an
element OF mystery in this peculiar trAi.
io, which was partially dispelled when
the methods OF the scalpeis were ventila.
ted in the courts and by the clear ex.
positions of railway officers on the sub.
ject.
1t is apparent that the scalpcr derives
some Of his support from some OF the
various links, large and small, OF the
longer lines between distant points.
As a matter of c, ur'e, rates by the var.
ious lines between important centre.
must be uniform, and the longer lines
by reason Of their greater length and
time of transit, could not and very pro-
perly so, hope TO obtain any considerA.
BILE proportion of the scAlpers. who buys
for the intending traveller who falls into
his hands a regular ticket by one Of the
longer routes, sells il to him for a d,I'
lar or 50 less than it costs. collecting
bonus from several of the short lir cs
composing this route as reward for
diver,ing the traveller from more direct
lines, ard pocketing a fair profit OIL the
transaction, although the passenger.
may not be so fortunate, AS the greater
length of time consumed on the trip.
and consequent increase in cost ofmeals
and sleeping accommodations. may
more than cover the saving in the cost
Of the ticket, aud the traveller has no
for his lost time.
But this and other operations which
scalper is want to consider as "legiti.
mate" would scarcely expl>in the mag.
nltude which his profits mus, assume TO
m nt'in him ia the traffic, aud these
late trials furnish the Information n.ces.
sary 10 complete a solution OF the my.
terry. The testimony showed that the
railway employees retained the ticket
collected from passengers and sold them
a. nominal rates To the aipers, who re-
sold them to traveller. at e discount
from standard rates, th. COMPANIES
thus carrying tao or more passengers
on the same ticket.
The disclosures emphasize With rain.
ful clearness the moral character OF the
scalping enterprse. For year, past il
has been the aim Of railroad companies
so to adult their rules aud regulations
as. to relieve conductors from even the
slightest imputalion OF dishonesty
Whether this hss been from motive. of
or not is immaterial to the
point at issue. The result has been al.
parent in the etpriir IN rrops and the
moral Of their employes. The feeling
that, in view Of the safeguards thrown
around them, they we're above suspicion
has wrought a remarkable change in
this class Of employees. and has made
the position Of railway conductor a
highly honorable, ~ il is a rcsponsiLle
and exacting calling. But Just as this
condition Of things has been 20 happily
co a new element OF cvi
arises and it is mol strange that amongst
such a host OF employees rome should BE-
found willing to listen to the tempt
ings OF the scalper, aud become event.
ually hi. willing but guilty tool
In the cause OF morality, and in be-
half Of an important and deserving class
of railway employees, we can cordially
endorse the efforts Of the transportation
lines to utterly abolish this traffic.
which has long been q misdemcanor in
this state, and we earnestly hope that
the various state will speedily take
cognizanoe Of the gr owing evil and by
statute similar to our OVID, put thescal.
per under the ban OF the Law and com.
pei railroad companies to redeem for
cash from pass ngers. their unused or
partially used tickets. In the mean
time the traveller will do we'll to consi-
der whether he can conscient tionsly aid
the scalper or incur the risk Of riding
on a stolen ticket. .--Phiia Preo.
Republioanism in Virginia