Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-02-16
NEWS OF THE RAIL.

IN reference TO the bill introduced in
congress by Representative Sherman, of
Utica, n. Y, the Cincinnati Commercial
Tribune says:
The introduction into congress of house
bill No. 10000, by Representative ]. S.
Sherman, of Utica, n. Y, has aroused
feeling of great Indignation among the
merchants, the travelling public and the.
people in all parts of the country. In
Cincinnati the feeling against the bill is
even more intense, and besides the mel
chants the bankers of this city, the
judges and city officials have expressed
themselves in favor of killing the bill.
Some have sent kilograms to washington
protesting against it, and all are unani-
NOUS in the opinion that prompt meas
ures should be taken to prevent the engi-
neerng of the bill through congress.
Many lawyers who have studied the pro-
visions in the bill have asserted that 1t
was introduced in the interests of the big
railroad corporations, but that the meas
ure. if enacted into law, and a test
made, would undoubtedly be declared I'M
constitutional.
Briefly. the most important provisions
in the bill are as follows:
That no person not duly authorized
agent of a railroad company shall be per-
mitted to sell, barter or transfer for any
consideration a whole or part of rail-
road ticket. A violation OF this provision
is subject to heavy fine or imprison-
ment or both; that a railroad shall, If
any part of a railroad ticket be unused
by the purchaser, redeem the same upon
presentation at the general office, at a
rate which shall be equal to the differ
ence between the price paid for the whole
ticket and the cost of a ticket of the
same class between the points for which
the ticket was actually used These pro-
visions are contained in sections 2, 8 and
a, and if enacted will have the effect of
abolishing the business of the ticket
broker.
The ticket brokers of this and other
cities are fighting the bill, and are re-
ceiying assistance from business houses
as well as the hearty support of the pub
lie. AT a meeting of the local brokers,
held recently, a discussion of the bill
brought out many interesting facts. FIX
planning section 4 of the bill, one of the
brokers said the following illustra ton
would clearly demonstrate the injustice
of the measure: A travelling man pur-
chases a ticket from New York to st.
Louis, by way of Cincinnati, for which
he pays $40. Arriving at Cincinnati, he
is compelled on account Of business, to
postpone his departure for St. Louis in
definitely. Should the bill become law,
he must then turn over to the general
offices of the railroad the unused portion.
of his ticket within thirty days, for which
he will receive 50, the railroad company
having deducted the regular fare-s1S-
from New York to Cincinnati When he
wishes to go to ST. Louis he is compelled
to purchase a new ticket, If the thirty
day limit has expired, for which he pays
80. In other words, he is out 81. Under
the provisions of the bill, he cannot sell
the unused portion of the ticket from Gin
cinnati to St. Louis to a ticket broker and
receive a good price for 1t, but within
thirty days he must return it to the gen
eral offices of the railroad issuing the
ticket, and await the pleasure of that
corporation in refunding the money
The business of the ticket, broker has
long been recognized as legitimate; and,
more than that, the ticket brokers act as
preventative to railroad pools and COM
bina lions. 1t has been time and again
argued that railroads cannot say who
shall or shall not ride on a ticket issued
by them. A ticket becomes the property
Of the purchaser, and to do with it as he
pleases. If he finds he cannot use it, he
should be at liberty to sell it, give it
away or burn it if he feels so disposed.
The bill in question, however. If it be-
comes a law, will abolish the business of
the ticket brokers, and there will then
be nothing 10 prevent the big railroads
combining and demanding of the public
the limit fare, besides driving out of ex-
istence the smaller and weaker lines,
which have been the means, through the
brokers. in keeping the fares down, to
the great advantage of the public.
The Cincinnati ticket brokers are in
touch With all the merchants, and the
same may be said of the brokers in other
cities. If their services were not neces-
sary, they could not exist. Aside from
this, they take many risks. and the pub
tic deserves the benefit. Without them,
the puhlic would be at the mercy of the
railroads Not only are the ticket
brokers in touch with the merchants and
the people, but the railroads deal direct,
" with them, a fact which is not general.
ly known. With the ticket brokers gone,
the railroads would be in a position to-
refuse reduced rates and mileage books,
and demand their regular chartered rate
of cents per mile, or, in other words.
the fare between here and New York
could be raised to $24 instead Of SIG, SIT
and SIS. the fares now charged.
The opposition to the bill has grown
rapidly throughout the country. The
press and the people in all sections have
denounced it as a bill introduced in the
interests of the railroad companies and
unjust to the public and this opinion has
been expressed by many of the most
prominent lawyers in the country
A circular has been distributed among
the representatives in Washington emu
merating several reasons why the bill
should not pass the house. Two of them
are as follows, That it's passage is urged