Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1884-05-21
Ticket Scaipfng.

The Developments IN the recent trial.
of railway conductors in Philadelphia
and elsewhere for embezzlement bring
to light a new feature in the so-called
business of ticket scalping, and explain
very clearly one of the principal reasons
for the crusade which is being waged by
the railroad companies against the gen.
try whose boast it is that they can dis.
count the standard rates of the compa.
MES. There was for long time an ele-
ment of mystery in this peculiar traffic,
which was partially dispelled when the
methods of the scalpers were ventilated
in the courts and by the clear exposi-
tons of railway officers on the subject.
1t is 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. As
a matter of course, rates 10y the various
lines between important centres must
be uniform, and the longer lines, by
reason of their greater length and time
OF transit, could not, and very properly
SO, hope to obtain any considerable pro-
portion of the through traffic save by
the operations of the scalper, who buys
for the intending traveller who falls into
his hands regular ticket by one of the
longer routes, sells it to him for dollar
or so less than it cost, collecting bonus
from several of the short lines cempOs-
ing this route as reward for diveTting
the traveller from more direct lines, and
pocketing a fair profit on the transac-
tion, although the passenger may not
be so fortunate. as the greater length.
OF time consumed on the trip, and con-
sequent increase in cost of meals and
sleeping accommodations, may more
than cover the saving in the cost OF the
ticket, and the traveller has no compen-
sation for his lost time.
But this and other operations which
the scalper is wont to consider ''legiti-
mate" would scarcely explain the mag
nitude which his profits must assume to
maintain him in the traffic, and these
late trials furnish the information neces-
sary to complete solution of the mys-
tery. The testimony showed that the
railway employees retained the tickets
collected from passengers and sold them
at nominal rates to the scalpers, who re-
sold them to travellers at a discount
from standard rates, the company thus
carrying two or more passengers on the
same ticket.
These disclosures emphasize with
painful clearnesS the moral character of
the scalping enterprise. For years past
1t has been the aim of railroad compan-
les so to adjust their rules and regula-
tlonS as to relieve conductors from even
the slightest imputation of dishonesty.
Whether this has been from motives of
self-lnterest or not, is lmmaterial to the
point of issue. The result has been ap-
parent In the esprit du corps and the
morale OF their employees. The feeling
that, in view of the safeguards thrown
around them, they were above suspi-
cion, has wTou hit remarkable change
IN this class of employees, and has made
the position OF railway conductor
highly honorable, as it is a responsible
and exacting calling. But just as this
condition of things has been so happily
conSummated, new element of evil
arises, and it is not strange that amongst
such host of employees some should be
found willing to listen TO the temptings
of the scalper, and become eventually
his willing but guilty tools.
In the cause of morality, and in be-
half of an important and deserving
class of railway employees, We can cor
daily endorse the efforts of the trans
portation lines to utterly abolish this
traffic, which has long been misdemea-
nor in Pennsylvania, and we earnestly
hope that the various States will speed
lily take cognizance of the growing evil
and, by statute similar to Pennsylvania,
put the scalper under the ban of the
law and compel railroad companies to
redeem for cash, from passengers, their
unused or partially used tickets. In
the meantime the traveller will do well
to consider whether he can conscienti-
ously aid the scalper or incur the risk
of riding on stolen ticket.