The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-17
STRUGGLE OF THE scALpEns.
Interstate Committee Grants n Hear
ing.

ing.
Washington, Dec. 16.-The Senate COM
mittee on interstate commerce held a
meeting to-day, at which a hearing was
had on the anti-scalping bill George NJ.
Mckenzie, representing the ticket brok-
ers made statement in behalf of the
ticket brokers' and in opposition to the
bin. He said 95 per cent. of the business
of the brokers was done with the compa-
nles.
MIR. Mckenzie said there We're many
railroads that did not want the bill.
Senator Elkins-What railroads are op-
posing it?
Mr. McKenzie-I do not want to embar-
rass the roads by naming them. If / did
they would suffer for it, l know person
ally that they are opposed to this bill, but
| cannot name them. l am aware that
my statement cannot go for anything un-
der these circumstances.
Senator Chandier-Do not these small
railroad lines sell to the brokers?
Mr.. MckenZie-YeS.
Asked how the ticket brokers made their
business pay, Mr.. Mckenzie said the profit
came In the way of a rebate which went
TO the broker and not TO the traveller.
Returning to the relationship Of the roads
the principal supporters of the pending
bill were the Vanderbilt lines, the South
ern railway, the Southern Pacific, the Mil
waukee and St Paul and the Atchison,
Topeka and Santa Fe. He said that the
Pennsylvania Company west of Pittsburg
had sold tickets to the brokers' as late as
1888 but the fact developed that these
tickets were for transportation over the
West Shore line.
Mr.. Daniels, general passenger agent of
the New York Central, said that line had
no dealings with the brokers for the past
twenty years.
Referring to the effect of the bill If It
should become a law, Mr.. Mckenzie said 1t
would cost the travelling public according
to calculation he had made, an average
of $5,S75000 per year This calculation was
made upon the basis that the brokers sell
70 per cent. of the tickets used, and that
they save their customers an average of
l2l2 per cent.
Senator Lindsay asked if this saving
was not at the expense of the people from
whom they buy.
I'VE buy from the railroads." Mr.. Nc
Kenzie replied. He declared that ticket
brokers did not buy stolen or forged tick
cts.
Senator Elkins insisted upon Mr. Nc
Kenzle stating where people went to sell
stolen tickets, and succeeded in eliciting
the statement that brokers did not ask
questions of respectable looking persons
Offering tickets for sale.
lie added. however, that not per cent
of the tickets purchased were bought
from people who strayed into the ticket
brokers' offices. The members expressed
great surprise at the statement that the
tickets were generally secured from the
railroads themselves, but Mr.. Mckenzie
maintained the truth of the statement
saying that IL was especially true with
the Ticket Brokers' Association. He con
tended that the ticket brokers' business
was the natural result Of the railroad pools
and il could not exist If there were no
pools. Mr.. Mckenzie having stated that
the anti-scalping legislation had failed TO
suppress brokerage in various states. Sem
ator Wolcott asked why brokers object
ed to the passage of a national law.
Because such a law would intimidate
the public" Mr.. Mckenzie replied.
would the railroad be intimdated?"
Senator Elkins asked.
|. II doubt that" was the reply.
'Then ! think we ought to have a law
against the railroads" said Senator Ell
kins
Continuing, Mr.. Mckenzie said three of
the railroad lines to St Paul were prac-
tcaliy supported by the scalpers. Two of
them, he said would not be able to run
through trains without the aid of the bro
kers"
He took up the question of dividends
upon the capital invested in railroads, con-
tending that where SO much of the rail-
road stock was watered it was difficult to
find proper basis of return.
1t is probable that there will be no fur
ther meeting of the committee until after
the holiday recess.
Friends of the bill say they will refute
statements made by Mr.. Mckenzie to-day.