Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-01-07
PASSES AND sCALPED TICKETS.
Topics Discussed By the Interstate Com
merce Commission I'm Its Report.


Free passes are discussed to sore extent in
the annual report of the interstate commerce
commission. 1t is stated that the investiga-
ton of this matter, begun some time ago, has
not been completed, but some conclusions have
been reached, which are given. The commits
sion found that passes have been issued by the
railroad companies mainly Tor use within a
state and for that reason it is claimed not to be
in violation OF the law. Passes to limited
extent, 1t was found, had been issued by many
of the companies for interstate journeys. The
returns on this subjec; called for by the COM
mission show that the persons who had free
transportation are embraced in the following
classes:
Railroad directors. drovers. express men,
telegraph men, news company agents, officers
of palace companies, managers of excur-
sions and shows, persons injured on railroads,
transported to their homes; attorneys, sur
geons, persons on company's business, in con-
sideration of contracts for purchase of land,
water rights and rights of way, for services
rendered, witnesses for companies, in consid-
GRAFTON of advertising, hotel and boarding
house propIIetOrs, newspaper men, Shippers,
complimentary, special car accommodations;
TO persons on request of others, no reason
given; for charitable purposes. benevolent as
sociatlons, ex-employes and families of de-
ceased employees. members of Legislative bodies,
state railroad commissioners, United States,
state and municipal officers, employees of the
railway mail service. officials of steamship and
steamboat lines. Under some of these classes
the transportation has been very limited Un-
der others the numbers carried have been more
numerous, but that a great diminution of free
transportation has taken place since the act,
especially in interstate transportation, is very
evident"
With the exception OF persons injured in
railroad accidents, surgeons attending such
persons, witnesses for companies IN Judicial H.
vestigatIons. &c, in consideration OF contracts
for purchase of land. water rights and right of
way, employees of express and telegraph COM
panleS operating upon a line of railroad under
agreements with the railroad company and en-
plOyes OF the railway mail service, the report
expresses the opinion that no Justification
be found for the free carriage of these
various classes. The commission state that
according 20 the returns made. the largest
number OF interstate passes issued of any class
vas designated complimentary. Next in num-
bers were passes to steamship lines and trans
fer companies. United States. state and munich
pal officers. palace car companies, newspapers
and Tor advertising. The several other classes
we're small IN proportion. OF state passes the
largest numbers were issued to members Of
legislatures and drOyer-. with compliments
ries next, ami United States, state and munich
pal officers. newspapers and shippers next in
Numbers. the others being comparatively few"
The CORRECTION OF this evil, IN the opinion OF
the CoEu-l~~lpu. ana the equality OF rlSut 10
which ali are tBt. lied r,t aIreJ the restrictions
10 be general and ,wet ping to furnish any sub
stautlal assurance that she abuse should not be
continued or new ones devised. A. the inves-
ugatlOn has HOJ been completed any further re-
port or action of the commission is deferred
until more complete information has been OBJ
tanned.
TICKET SCALPISG.
In referring to the subject of ticket broker
age or sca!ping. as USUALLY termed. the COM
mission state that there j. no indication tina:
the practice Il diminishing. The report char
acterIZes the practice as dishonest and leading
10 evils OF discrimination. While it Is admitted
that the railroads can destroy ticket scalping.
Yet one or Two roads Indifferent 10 the methods
by which they procure business NAV be able to
defeat tine best purposes of the great majority
of the roads. Ihc commission suggest add
tIOnal legislation 10 require THAT every person
who sells p-ssl niger tickets shall be duly au-
thOri2ed by the company Tor which he 81 lis and
exhibit his authority. and that the company
shall be responsible for MS acts. II deemed
practicable the price at which the ticket NAV
be sold might also be required to be stamped
upon the ticket, and, further. requiring COM
panies taat sell excursion tickets to redeem the
unused coupons
FAILING TO MAZE REPORTs.
The commission report that all of the sub
sidized railroad companies referred to in the
with the provision of the first section, that all
OF said Companies should forthwith and hence
forth. BY and through their own respective cor
lOrate officers and employees, maintain and
operate for railroad. governmental, CONNER
clal and all other purposes. telegraph lines
and exercise by themselves alone all the tele-
graph franchises conferred upon them and
obligations assumed by them under the acts
masking the grants. anl all except the Sioux
City and Pacific railroad company and the
Northern Pacific railroad company have failed
TO comply az all. and those two literally with
the provision IN the sixth section requiring said
companies to make annual reports TO the inter-
state commerce commission. setting forth with
reasonable fullness and certainty the nature
extent, value and condition of the telegraph
lines and property then belonging TO Il. the
gross earnings and all expenses of maintenance.
use and operation thereof. and its relation and
business with all connecting telegraph COM
PanIes during the preceding year, at such time
and IN such manner as may be required by a
system of reports which said commission shall
prescribe"
The commission. as required by the act have
reported 10 The Attorney General the facts in
respect TO sacA neglect aud refusal by the COM
paL!es. and the commission are informed that
he has taken action.
England and Portugal in Africa
The African lakes company has petitioned
Lord Salisbury to take instant measures to