The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-02-23
THE CONDUCTORS SIDE.
An Argument in Favor OF the Anti
Scslpers' Bill Now
Pending.
They Desire to Protect tho Travel
ing Public as Well as
Themselves.
The Bill Is Not Supported by tho North
ern Pacific or Any Other Rail-
way Com

ern Pacific or Any other Rail-
way Company.
To the independent.
The communication in Tuesdays issue of
TuE INDEPENDENT signed a IA Merchant
Traveller" is a very weak argument, II in
deed il can be called an argument. by an
apparently much interested individual.
against the anti-sealpsr bill now pending
in the house Of representatives. The "Mer-
chant Traveller" processes great admiration
for Mr.. Mckenzie. the paid representative
Of the American Ticket Brokers %associa-
tion, who was sent out here to fight the bill
in the Montana Legislature. Presumably
the ticket s~calpers of the cast were foarful
that the good senss Of the Montana legis-
lators would induce them TO pass the bill
and therefore sent n hirelinG to Helena to
lobby against it. AZ the communication OF
the Merchant Traveller" is devoid of any
thing like argument, his manifest admira-
ton for Mckenzie and great sim ilarity OF
views 10 doubtless due TO the mutual inter
ests of the two gentlemen which is very apt
to lead the average reader TO conclude that
Mr.. Mckenzie, the representative Of eastern
soslpsrs, and "A Merchant Traveller" are
identical.
In his argument" the signer Of the oom-
muniestion referred to lays great stress ON
the alleged fact that The scalpsrs save
travellers $7l.50 in fares between 81. Paul
and Portland, claiming that she Northern
Pacific sells round-trip tickets between the
points named for $50 whereas the local
&c.. AeAk -oulI .roAunt IN 41S1 IN
This statement 10 absurd, because everyone
we'll knows that ticket scalpers, In Montana
Al least, 80 per cent. of whom are pawn
brokers, are not philanshropists, and il
they secured 3 round trip ticket from st.
Paul 10 Portland after the original pur-
chaser had arrived at Helena, mono Of them
would sell it to a man or woman at a loss
which they would be obliged to do in order
to save the dear travelling public s7l.,5o.
since that SUN added to the origirni psles
of the round trip ticket, $50, wou 1T
am ount to the total local fare for the =
distance. The other figures quo.ed
by this entsrprizinR advocate or
the ticket seslpsrs are equally I'M
reliable. Furthermore. the tickets
hs refers to are special rate tickets for long
distance travel which are sold only to those
who sign a written contract with the rail
road company, in which the purchaser
agrees that the ticket shall be forfeited If
transferred or used BY any person other
than the original purchaser. Consequently
il 4 sealpsr secures one OF these tickets and
disposes Of the same to a customer he eau
lions the second purchaser to forge the
name Of the original purchaser Of the
ticket and represent himself as suoh. The
natural result is II the fo,Rsr or second pur-
chaser Of the ticket 10 not slick enough to
deceive the conductor the later takes the
ticket up and ooRpels the unfortunate
patron Of the ~unprincipled sealper to pay
full fare. Therefore supposing tina traveller
will cost him not $40 che price he paid the
scalpsr for the ticket, nor $40 the reRu-
lar fare. but both, or 500. Now
what remedy has the victim of the scalper?
To be sure, the latter gave him a receipt
agreeing to refund the 800 on the return of
good by the conductor. but the traveller
cannot collect frsm the scalper since he
cannot return the ticket which has been
taken up by the conductor. He has no
remedy in the courts, because he has mado
himself q party to the fraud by forging the
name of the original purchaser and repre-
%senting himself a. such. The scalper him
self 10 of course safe. since he is not COM
PEELED to refund the money even If his un-
lucky victim does return to Helena to de-
mand it; but in n great majority of cases
the victim does not return.
no dOHlRcIb HnVCt Il CIV lIdt LIo
nnti-scalper bill is fathered and supported
bv the Northern Pacific Railway company.
This is a palpable effort to excite the antago-
nlsm of the masses against it as being the
creation of a corporation. The reverse,
however, Ia true as can DO easily proved.
The Northern Pacific is not nor ia any other
railway behind the bill. In fact the railroad
companies would best serve their own in
te.ssts by combining to defeat this meas
ure. We will endeavor to show how the rail-
roads are benefited rather than injured by
the existence of ticket brokers or scalpers.
For instance, suppose a ticket is sold
from New Orleans to Ssattle or Alaska and
return, starting over the Southern Pacific
and returning over the Northern Pacific.
As soon rs the ticket is sold the amount
due the Northern Pacific is Immediately
forwarded to that company so that
the latter has received ray fol-
tbs transportation long before the
ticket Is presented to any of its conductors.
Now, suppose this particular ticket is
scalped, and the fact comes to the knowl.
edge Of the Union Pacific officials. which is
often the case. The scalped ticket is bal
letined, and every conductor on the road Is
notified to take up the ticket. In ease the
ticket passes through q conductors hands
AZ 1t Is !lsbie TO do So elsvsrly is il changed
by the scalpers-and reaches the headquat-
tera OF the company, every Conducto'
whose punch mark apl ca! 8 on that ticket il
AtSS "fSA NAp blohl u III
local fare over his division. If the ticket /
taken up by u conductor who detects tht
fraud the unlucky individual who happen
to be representing himself az the origina
purchaser is obliged to pay full fare. II
either oass the railroad company receive
TWO FARES for the ride over its lines. /
naturally follows that the railroad comps
MES would be benefited by allowing th
scalpers to continue IN business.
Ert the anti scAlpers bin is mot offered b
the Notthern Pacific or any other rallroa
com any or Companies. 1t is prepared an
submitted to the legislature OF Montana b
the Order of Railway Conductors. of whic
order there are 700 representatives, in ID ON
tana and 25,0O0 in tbs United States.
similar bill Is now pending in every leRisll
ture Ia the country now In session. III
conductors desire and advocate its passaa
for protection TO themselves VI we'll az fo
the protection of a large cl. y of peop
who are daily feeced or robbed Wy unpril
cipled ticket brokers or soalpsrs. The cor
ductofs and tho conductors only re tt
authors of the bill and those who ar. pc
sonslly advocating the passage OF the ii
in the Montana legislature are employed @
every railroad in the state. not the Nortl
esn Pacific alone. 1t is not denie
Nv n . &naf tba ticL mt ,n.l,o, n.,non~ l..