St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-04-10


samples for inspection at the univer-
sity. He thought the bill should be
amended SO as not to require an an
alysfs OF ores and clays. as such test
would be more expensive than a sim
pie test of their power to resist fire,
etc.
Senator Sperry opposed further de-
lay upon the bill, and hoped the bill
would pass. The motion to refer to
a committee for amendment was lost.
A vote being taken upon the final pas
sage OF the bill there We're Is in favor
and IA against, SO the bill passed
The senate, in committee of the
whole, with Senator Hanna in the
chair, took up S. F. 49S as a special
order, known as the "Theden scaIper
bill"
Senator Theden moved that the bill
be recommended to pass. He stated
that the bill is to repeal the
SCALPER BILL
of two vars ago. 1t is practically the
same law that has. been declared I'M
constitutional in Texas, and in other
states. 1t is Similar to a bill vetoed
IN California. 1t has been a dead let
ter IN this state. 1t imposes penalty
for selling a ticket. The railroads. he
said, would probably honor the re-
quest of member of the legislature
or rich man to redeem a ticket. but
would refuse request made by poor
man. He claimed that the law works
hardshlps and takes away property
rights, and contended that the pur-
chaser of a ticket had a right to dis
pose of it as he wished.
Senator Yale regarded the law as
a good one and believed none but .scalp-
ers wanted it's repeal He claimed the
law beneficial to the public as well as
to railroads. He instanced a number
of cases in which lost mileage books
and passes had found their way into
the hands of scalpers.
Senator Howard said he felt strongly
the necessity of passing the bill:
When the law was passed it was
claimed to be beneficial for the public
and that it's enactment would enable
railroads to reduce rates to the worlds
fair. The fact was the railroads did
not reduce rates. The law was passed
at tho dictation of the raidloads. to
give them hold upon the public. He
detained against the reasonableness
OF a law that made a sale Of rail-
road ticket punishable by imprison-
ment in the penitentiary. He favored
q law that would make a ticket sold
by a railroad good in the hands of
any one who should pay for the trans
portation. Senator Howard asserted
that the law has been dead letter
in twenty-seven states which passed
it, and tickets are sold by scalpers in
every one of those stats. He alluded
to seeing the faces of the same con-
ductors who were in the lobby while
speaking, in the lobby at Washington.
They were there for the same purpose.
namely to lobby in congress for the
anti-scalper law, but it was creditable
to congress that the law had not be-
come a national one.
Senator McHale eontended the law
to be just one, and would not inter-
fere with the rights of an honest man.
The advantage he saw was that the
law prevented perpetrating frauds
upon the innocent. The law aids in
detecting forged tickets and in de-
terring forging of tickets He ex-
hibited a Milwaukee ticket that had
been forged and which was issued last
March. The reason the bill was a con-
ductors bill was because the conduc-
tors had to pay for forged or altered
tickets taken up by them.
Senator Wyman voted for the bill two
years ago, but has grown to believe
the law mistake, as it allows a class
of privileged scalpers to do business
under the protection of the railroads.
He declared that these special scalp
ers have large quantities of tickets,
sold at lower than regular rates, under
/ the sanction of the railroad compa-
MES. He regarded the law as special
in that tickets are the only comm Cd
ity in the state which brokers' may not
handle.
Senator Yale arose to reply to the
speech of Senator Howard and was
speaking of his zeal in the bill, when
Senator Howard interrupted to say
that he was attorney for ticket scalp
ers was false presumption. Senator
Yale disclaimed any such inference
and proceeded to quote Judge Cooley
to controvert the argument of Senator
Howard on the legal status of the law.
He said he had high regard for the
view of Judge Cooley, gentleman
who is more widely known as a jurist
than the senator from Hennepin
county.
A ripple of laughter went around the
chamber when Senator Keller was rec
ognized by the chair, and came up to
the expectation of the senate and Wis
itors in one of his characteristic
speeches and practical illustrations.
a ad hn h Il
was hooted by the scalpers as he went
along the street. He instanced the
difficulties he had with a scalper' S
ticket on a trip to Washington a few
weeks ago, and brought down the
house by telling how he helped out a
Minneapolis gentleman who had trou-
BILE with a similar ticket.
Senator Howard in replying to pleas
antrieS by the senator from Ns1nona in
alluding to him, disc1aimed any influ-
ence by the lobby, and said he would
not attribute the zeal of the senator
from Winona to the fact that he sat
near the railroad committee room.
Senator Howard also said he had never
been the local attorney for a railroad
and had no son as q. claim agent for a
railroad.
Senator Greer suggested that it was
a waste of time to take up so much
time in an attempt to repeal a law
passed only two years ago, and after
it had been ably discussed and care.
fully considered. The law had beer
sustained by the supreme court of the
| state.
A. vote being taken, the motion Of
| Senator McHale for indefinite post
| ponement prevailed, there being Is fol
| and II against. When the committee
arose, Senator Howard moved tt
amend the report SO as to recommend
the passage of the bill. The roll being
| called, the report to postpone indefi.
nitely carried by vote of 26 to 20.
COMMITTEE REPORTS.
The senate took up an unusually long
time with the reports of committees
The report of indefinite postponement
| made by the committee on towns and
counties, upon S. F. 40, was amended
so that the bill will go upon general
orders. The bill relates to good roads,