Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-03-14
TICKET SCALPERS
UP FOR DISCUSSION BEFORE
THE SENATE COMMITTEE
On Internal improvements Lawyers, General
Passenger Agents and Ticket Broker
Talk TO tho Senators.

Austin, Tex, March Specially
Tho senate committee on internal inn
proyemeuts. senator Swuyue chairman,
met tonight To hear the arguments of
the railway passenger agents aud the
ticket scalpcrs tor and against Mr.
Stcclc's bin TO prescribe how aud by
whom railroad tickets shall be sold, and
20 provide for the redemption of tickets
unsuld, and 10 prescribe penalties for
the violation OF the act.
Senator kcaby suggested that the tick
ct scalpers be heard from first.
J. j. Faux of Austin appeared for
the scnlpers, who prefnced his remarks
with the assertion that although the
sculpers had been branded as debasod
on 1ouuluWub0u lpuosIJd moIJ 'uam
found them gentlemen, Ticket sculpers,
he thought We're given their occupation
| By the discrimination of the railroads
themselves. He thought the ticket
scalpcr n benefuctor, and the railroads
wanted Ia build up q monopoly by driy-
ing the scnlpera out of the stute. The
opposition 20 this hill, he thought came
from the railroad managers, Just as thoy
had been opposed TO the railway COM
mission
Edward Parker Of Houston appeared
before the committee I'm behalf of the bill
| Hc defended the committee against the
insinuOtiOn that the bill Lad hcsn rnil-
rogdcd through the committee room. Ha
ItlNltN the tlthl llldl tuN Purchase OF a
ticket always carried with it the ALSO
lutte right of property but mere,
" the right 70 travel on the
ticket undcr certain coalitions He
argued that when a purchaser OF a
ticket agreed in consideration of re-
duced ratio that he would use the ticket
| for himself only, he could NOT author
lie another 10 sign his name and use
the ticket without perpctrltng a fraud
| ou the railroad companies, To encourage
the occupation of the scalper he held was
! TO drive out competition The railroads
only ask for a just law and are willing
| for the bill 10 be amended so that the
! travelling public shall be protected
senator Steele said he had introduced
the bill in good faith, He had received
the bin from q gentleman who had never
! been connected with a railroad IN TeXus.
As the state Of Texas had undertaken
10 regulate the railroads u was only
! just and fair that tie railroads should
/ be protected against the sculpers. He
said the object OF the hill was not only
% protect the railroads but also TO pro-
tect the public
Chairman swayne suggested That as
the lawyers had heen heard from the
committee would like to hear from the
passenger men and the scalpers.
III, g Thompson, general passenger
agent of the Santa Re, said he would
Ike 90 reply 20 Judge Foulk's charge
thNt the railroads were responsible Tor
the scalpers by reason of their discrimi-
nation. He argued thOt the very oppO-
size was the facts Tho railroads had
undertaken 10 put tine different cities of
the country 0n an equal footing ana
thus M was the scalporS were given an
opportunity 60 do their business. The
scalper makes no business for any line,
bat simply kills of competition
AZ the request Of Mr., Steele. NJ. L.
Robbins, general passenger agent Of the
20 the committee some tickets that had
been tempered with and sold by scalpers
Harry Hines of SAN Antonio explained
the method Of business as transacted by
the honest ticket broker
Gencra Passenger Agent Robbins of
| the Houston and Texas Central made
some grave and specific charges, alleg-
| ing erookedpess On the part OF ticket
| broker, but under the present civil libel
| law OF the state 10 i considered safest
| not TO 40 into any details. 50 thai IL the