National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-03-27
TICKET sCALpING.
The Demora1izing Effect on Railroad
Employees OF this Questionable Busi-

Employees OF this Questionable Bust.
ness.
PbRode,pnd Press
The developments in the recent trials of
railway conductors in Philadelphia and else.
where for embezzlement bring to light a
new feature in the so.called business oil
ticket scalping, and explain very clearly one
of the principal reasons for tho crusade which
is being waged by the railroad companies
against the gentry whose boast it is that they
can discount the standard rates of the com
panios. There was for long time an ele.
ment of mystery in this peculiar traffic, which
was partially dispelled when the methods OF
the 8calpers wcro ventilated in the courts
and BY the clear expositions Of railway Off
GERS on tho subject
1t is apparent that tho scalpor derives
some Of his support from some of the various
links, largo and small, OF the longer lines
between distant points, As matter of
course rates by tho various lines between
important centcrs 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
proportion of the through traffic save by tho
operations OF the scalper, who buys for the
intending traveller who falls into his hands q
regular ticket by one of the longer routes
sells IL to him for dollar or so less than it
COSt COlltCtluR DOnu9 from several OF tnO
short lines composing this route as reward
for diyerting the traveller from more direct
lines, and pocketing q fair profit on the
transaction, although the passenger may not
be SO Fortunate as tho greater length of time
consumed on the trip, and consequent iu-
crease in cost Of meals and sleeping accom-
modations, may more than cover the saving
in the cost of tho ticket, and tho traveller has
no compensation for his lost time
But this and other onerations which IN q
scalper is wont TO consider as Legitimate"
would scarcely explain tho magnitude
which his profits must assume to maintain
him in the traffic, and these late trials
furnish the information necessary to com
plete solution of the mystery. The testi-
mony showed that the railroad employees
retained the tickets collected from passengers
and sold them Mt nominal rates to the
scalpers, who resold them to travellers at q
discount from standard rates, the companies
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 companies so to adjust their
rules and regulations as to relieve conductors
from even tho slightest imputation of dis
honesty. Whether this has been from
motives of sef-interest or not is immaterial
to the point at issue. The result has been
apparent III Jne esprit uu corps ana the
morale Of their employees. The feeling
that, in view of the safeguards thrown
around them, they were above sus-
picion has wrought remarkable
change in this class OF employees, and has
made the position of railway conductor q
highly honorable, as it is q responsible and
oSacting calling. But just as this condition
of things has been so happily contaminated,
q new element Of evil arises, and 1t is not
strange that among such host of employees
some should DO found willing to listen to tho
temptings of the scalper, and become eventu-
ally his willing but guilty tools.
In the cause of morality, and in behalf Of
an important and deserving class of railway
employees, we can cordially indorse the efforts
of the transportation lines to utterly abolish
this traffic, which has long been INSIDE
meanor in this state, and we earnestly hope
that the various states will speedily take
cognizance of the growing evil, and, by
statute similar to our own, put the scalper
under the ban of tho law aud compel railroad
companies to redeem for cash from passengers
their unused or partially used tickets. In
the meantime tho traveller will do we'll Y TO
consider whether no can conscientiously aid
the scalper or incur the risk of riding on
stolen ticket.