Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1897-11-24
WEDNESDAY, NOV. "a, 1897.
Righting Il Great Wrong.
From Tn Chicago Tribune, Nov. l.

From Tn Chicago Tribune, Nov II
The first gun in what is destined to
be q determined battle for the preser-
Walton IF the bu+inass interests of
the country WAS fired at the Union
League club Friday, the occasion be-
Ing luncheon given by the executive
officers of the National Association
of Merchants and Travellers, which
has placed itself fairly and squarely
on record as opposed to the past and
present workings of the Interstate
commerce law. The initial meeting
OF the association IN the campaign it
has begun to wage against an outrage
on the commerce OF many cOmmuni-
ties was attended by representative
of nearly every business house which
is factor in the wholesale trade of
the city, and also by representatives
OF leading railway line' which are fully
in accord and workino IN co-opera-
ton with the association. One Of
the results Of the meeting WAS the
adoption OF the following resolution:
"ResOlve.t. That the National AS
ISOLATION OF Merchants and Travellers
urge upon congress promp; legislation
In conformity with the repeated rec
concentrations of the interstate COM
merce commission, and especially to
pass without delay what is known as
the anti-scalping BILL
This resolution makes apparent
the fact that the most pronounced
evils for which the commercial and
railway interests OF the country suf-
fer are, respectively, the perfections
OF the interstate commerce bill and
the Oper ttIOns OF the ticket scalper.
In thus locating the cause of many of
the financial ills both the business
and railroad men have without
doubt made a correct diagnosis, and
IN an attempt to secure needed relief
are unquestionably entitled to the
use OF such proper influences as may
be brought to bear through congress
or elsewhere. The weak feature of
the interstate commerce law has al
ways been the fact that the commits
sion could only make recommends
tions along the line of correcting
commercial evils, being wholly with
out power to enforce the same And
when the railroad corporations of
the country ask for the adjustment
OF ticket scalping, it may safely be
concluded the interest best qualified
to judge has finally decided the ubi-
qultOus ticket seal per is a nuisance
which should be abated, and the
authority to arrive at this conclusion
should not be questioned.
So5far as the desires and intentions
Of the business men have materialized,
there is nothing unreasonable in
them. The cause espoused by the
association is an altogether just and
meritorious one, and should succeed.
Powerful allies are to be enlisted to
this end. Boards Of trade at all the
prominent commercial centers
throughout the country will be asked
to lend hand in bringing about the
results sought to be attained. The
business of the cause should insure it's
success.
The whole question is purely COM
mercial In it's character, having con-
nected with it no shade of politics.
In this commercial era the leading
interests of the country are acting the
part of wisdom when they join forces
for the preservation Of that commerce
in which all have lively and living
interest. The interests are Identical
and the relations should be reciprocal
All that is to be asked for is a recog-
milton of the rights of common equity
1t is not an extravagant claim that
one industry is entitled to the same
fairness any other industry receives.
Among practical traffic men it is a
well-known fact that universal and
incessant warfare OF discrimina-
ton is being waged to the detriment
Of railway revenues, weaker markets