The times., 1898-12-08
THE ANHI-SCALPING BILL
It Passes the House by a Vote
of 119 to 101.
TICKET BROKING ILLEGAL
Heavy Penalties for Violations of
the Measure - Twice the Lower
Body of Congress Has Taken This
stand-BeIief That 1t VIII Pass
the sennte-ScnIpers Badly Beaten

Railroad ticket brokerage received a
hard blow yesterday when the House of
Representatives, by vote OF 1l9 to lol,
adopted the bill declaring the practice un-
lawful and prescribing penalties for car
rying on the business.
This Is the second time a bill for this
purpose has passed the House, the first
being In the closing days of the Fifty
fourth Congress. The bill failed then be-
cause no time remained for 1t TO be con-
sidered by the Senate.
At the last session 1t was vigorously
urged and as vigorously opposed in both
houses. Hearings were given by the In
terstate Commerce Committees of the
House and Senate. and men on both sides
of the question appeared and testified. The
representatives of the great railway sys-
TENS were especially in evidence in favor
of the bill, while George NJ Mckenzie, of
Chicago, representing the Ticket Brokers
Association of the United States, lead the
opposition.
The bill seeks to prohibit the sale of rail-
way tickets by unauthorized persons and
to break up the business of ticket broker
passed laws either restraining the busine s
or declaring 1t illegal, but these laws have
been found Ineffective, as they could only
apply to transportation within the State.
while most of the scalpins is done on long
distance tickets New YORK is about the
last State to prohibit the business, ana
the appellate court there has recently de-
clared the new law unconstitutional
For years the Interstate Commerce Com
mission has urged the passage of such
bill Yesterday afternoon various amend
ments tending to weaken the bill Were
voted down by small majorities, and it
WIS finally passed reported from the
House committee.
The bill provides that each railroad
shall furnish its agents with certificates
showing their authority to act as such-
These must be posted conspicuousiy IN
the Office of the agent. Common carriers
are forbidden to supply tickets for sale
to any persons but regularly authorized
agents. and ali others are forbidden to
Sell any tickets or parts of tickets. 1t Is
provided. howevc,. that the purchaser OF
q transferable ticket. in good faith. may
Sell the same to another person, who will
personally use it for the journey. Viola
tions of the foregoing are misdemeanors,
punishable Dy u me of $1,000 or imprison-
ment for one year. or both.
No claim for redemption of tickets is
valid unless presented within one year
from date of purchase. II the whole ticket
is presented it must be redeemed at cost
price, and if only part is presented. it
must be redeemed at a rate equal to the
difference between the whole price and
the price al watch similar tickets are
sold between the points for which the
ticket was actually used.
Redemption is required within thirty
days after the presentation of un-
used tickets. Failure by the rail-
roads to redeem tickets is pun
ishable by 4 fine OF $io0 and failure
for five days by any agent to forward the
ticket 10 the railway for redemption is
punishable by a fine of SleO or one year, S
Imprisonment, or both. similar penalty
Is imposed on any general passenger
agent who fails to redeem a ticket within
thirty days after presentation.
Forging or altering any railway ticket
or pass, or the sale of any forged or al
tered ticket or pass. is declared a felony.
and is made punishable by fine of not
more than sS.005 and by not more than
two years Imprisonment.
The bill will now go to the Snate where
1t will be referred to the Interstate Com
merce Committee. There is a feeling in
that body in favor of saddling it with
necessary amendments to the interstate
commerce law. but this is not likely to be
done.