The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1884-04-12

ment bring to light a new feature II
the so-called business Of ticket scalp.
ing. and explain very clearly one oil
the principal reasons for the 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 companies
There was for long time an elemen,
of mystery in this peculiar traffic
which was partially dispeled when
the methods ofthe scalpcrs were ven.
tilated in the courts and by the clear
expositions of railway officers on the
subject.
II is apparent that the scalper de
riyes some Of his support from some
Of the various links, large and small,
of the longer lines between distant
points. As matter of course, rates
by the various lines between impor-
tant 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 proportion
of the through traffic save by the OPP
erations or 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, col
lecting bonus from several Of the
short lines composing this route as a
reward for diverting the traveller from
more direct lines, and pocketing q
profit on the transactions although
the passenger may not beso fortunate,
as the greater length of time consum-
ed on the trip, and consequent in
crease in cost of meals and sleeping
accommodations, may more than
cover the saving in the cost of the
ticket, and the traveller has no com
pensation for his lost time.
But this and other operations which
the scalper is wont to consider as
Legitimate" would scarcely explain
the magnitude which his profits must
assume to maintain him in the traffic,
and these late trials furnish the in
formation necessary to complete q
solution Of the mystery. The testi-
mony showed that the railway en-
ployees retained the tickets collected
from passengers and sold them at
nominal rates to scalpers, who resold
them to travellers at 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
ofthe scalping enterprise. For years
past it has been the aim Of rail
road companies so to adjust their
rules and regulations as TO relieve
conductors from even the slightest
imDutation Of dishonesty. Whether
this has been from motives Of self in
terest or not, is immaterial 10 the
point at issue. The result has been
aPParent-ia the -espsi1- -di4 cosps-sad-
the morale Of their employees. The
feeling that, in view Of the safeguard
thrown around them, they were above
suspicion, has wrought remarkable.
change in this class Of employees, and
has made the position ofrailway con-
ductor highly honorable, as it is
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 he found will
ing to listen to the tempting 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
cordially endorse the efforts of the
transportation lines to utterly abolish
this traffic, which has long been a
misdemeanor 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 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 we'll to consider
whether he can consclentiously aid
the scalper or incur the risk Of riding
on a stolen ticket.