The record-union., 1897-11-25
AN IMPORTANT MOVEMENT.
ASSOCIATION OF MERCHANTS
AND TRAVELLERS.
Proposes to Take Prompt and Ac-
tive Measures in Regard 10
Interstate Commerce.
,p,o,, tho cbicae,o Tribune.)

The first gun in what is deStneu "
be a determined battle for the preSer-
vation of the business interests OF the
country was fired at the Union League
Club Friday. the occasion beng a
luncheon given by the executive OH
GERS of the National Association OF
Merchants and Travellers, which mas
placed itself fairly and squarely on rec
ord as opposed to the past and present
workings of the interstate commerce
law. The initial meetin. of the asso-
citation in the campaign it has begun
to wage against an outrage ON the COM
merce of many communities was at
tended bv representatives Of nearly
every business house which is factor
in the wholesale trade of the city, and
also by representatives of leading rail-
way lines which are fully IN accord
and working in cooperation with the
association One of the results OF the
meeting was the adoption of the follow
ing resolution:
Resolved, That the National Asso-
citation of Merchants and Travellers
urge upon Congress prompt 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
from which the commercial and railway
interests of the country suffer are, re-
spectively, the imperfections of the In
teastate commerce bill and the opera
tons of the ticket scalper. In thus To-
eating the cause of many Of their finan-
cial ills both the business and railroad
men have without doubt made cor
rect diagnosis, and in an attempt to
secure needed relief are unquestionably
entitled to the use Of such proper in
f1uences as may be brought to bear
through Congress or elsewhere. The
weak feature of the interstate COM
merce law has always been the fact
that the commission could only make
recommendations along the lines of
correcting commercial evils, being
wholly without power to enforce the
same. And when the railroad corpora
tions of the country ask for the abol-
iShment of ticket sca1ping, it may safe
ly be concluded the interest best quail
ified to Judge has finally decided the
ubiquitous ticket scalper is a nuisance
which should be abated. and the author
ity to arrive at this conclusion should
not be questioned.
So far 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 a hand
in bringing about the results sought
TO be attained. The business Of the
cause should insure its success.
The whole question is purely CONNER
cial in its character, having connected
with it no shade Of politics. In this COM
mercial era the leading interests of the
country are acting the part of wisdom
when they join forces for the preserva-
ton of that commerce in which all have
q lively and living interest. The inter-
ests are identical and the relations
should be reciprocal. All that is to be
asked for is a recognition of the rights
of common equity. 1t is not an extrav
agant claim that one industry is enti-
tied to the same fairness any other in
dustry receives. Among practical traffic
men it is a well known fact that uni
Versal and incessant warfare of dis
elimination is being waged to the detri
ment of railway revenues, weaker mar
kets, and smaller merchants. To a GER
tain extent the great markets of the
country can take care of themselves,
because of their strength, but the small
er unquestionably need protection.
Railway discrimination as now prac-
ticed make and unmakes markets. Its
effect is identical with the conditions
that would exist in a case where mer-
chandise had been imported at an un-
dervaluation and thrown on the market
in competition with goods on which full
duty had been paid by an honest i'm