The age-herald., 1897-12-17
TIE ANTI-SCALPING BILL l
Before the Senate Committee on
 Interstate Commerce.
TICKET BROKERS FIGHT HARD
Evidence Showing That the Roads Do Business Directly With the Brokers, Thus Per-
 petuating Their Trade.

Washington, Dec. 1.-The senate commit- tee on interstate commerce held meeting today at which a hearing was held on the anti-sealping bill.
 George R. Mckenzie, representing the ticket brokers, made 8 statement in behalf of the ticket brokers and in opposition to the bill. He said 95 per cent of the business of the brokers was done with the compa- nies. Mir. Mckenzie said there were many railways that did not want the bill
 Senator Elkins: What railways are op- posing it?'
 MT. Mckenzie: 1T do not want to embar- rass the roads by naming them. If did they would suffer for 1t. I know personal ly that they are opposed to this bill, but cannot name them. I am aware that my statement cannot go for anything under those conditions"
 Senator Chandler: DO these small rail- ways sell to the brokers?"
 MT. Mckenzie: "Yes."
 Asked how the ticket brokers made their business pay, MT. Mckenzie said the profit came in the way of rebate that went to the broker and not to the traveller.
 Returning to the relationship of the roads to the brokers Mir. Mckenzie said the prin- cipal supporters of the pending bill were the Vanderbilt lines, the Southern railway, the Southern Pacific, the Milwaukee and St. Paul and Atchison, Topeka and Sante Fe. He said that the Pennsylvania com pany west of Pittsburg had sold tickets to the brokers as late 1S93
 MT. Daniels general passenger agent of the New York Central railway, said that line had no dealings with the brokers for the past twenty years Referring to the ef- feet of the bill, if it should become law, Mr. Mckenzie said 1t would cost the trav- cling public according to calculation he had made an average of S, 800 per year. This calculation was made upon the basis that the brokers sell 20 per cent of the tickets used and that they save their GUS toners an average of 121h per cent. Senator Lindsay asked if this saving was not at the expense of the people from whom they buy.
 We buy from the railways" MT. Mo Kenzie replied.
 The members expressed great surprise at the statemant It l,at.- the tickets were gem eTdfIy secured from the railways them selves, but MT. Mckenzie maintained the truth of the statement, saying that it was especially true with the Ticket Brokers association. He contended that the ticket brokers business was the natural result of the railway pools and it could not exist if there were no pools. k,5
 MT. Mckenzie having stated that the anti-scalping legislation had failed to sup press brokerage in various states, Senator Wolcott asked why the brokers objected to the passage of a national law.
 Because such law would intimidate the public" MT. Mckenzie replied.
 Would the railways be intimidated?" Senator Elkins asked.
 q doubt that" was the reply
 ''Then I think we ought to have a law against the railways" said Senator FL kins.
 Continuing MT Mckenzie said three of the railway lines from Chicago to St. Paul were practically supported by the scalpers. 1.-Two of them," he said would not be able to run through trains without the aid of the brokers"
 He took up the question of dividends upon the capital invested in railways con- tending that where so much of the railway stock Is watered it is difficult to find a proper basis of return
 It is probable that there will be no fur ther meeting of the committee until after the holiday recess.
 Friends of the measure say that they will refute the statements made by MT. Me- Kenzie today.