Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1898-08-19
RAILROADS AND BROKERS.

The article being calculated to deceive
those unfamiliar with such matters and
it being obviously impossible to get
fair hearing for the other side in the
above mentioned journal, | beg to sub.
NIT the following for your use wholly or
in part, as you may wish. The Herald
begins with the sweeping charge that
"the scalper is everywhere in cahoots
with the thievish conductor" Before
going further wish to characterize this
as a base and cOwardly SANDER of both
conductors and ticket brokers.
To say that the transportation dealt In
by brokers is Every largely obtained
from dishonest conductors is to put a
stigma on a class of men who are, as a
rule, not only courteous and obliging
public servants, but the honest and
faithful servants of the corporation by
whom they are employed. | imagine
even the Herald would not care to he
known as denOuncing railroad conduc-
tors as dishonest. But in their zeal for
hunting down the "scalper" they have
said what is open to too large an in
ference.
As to the broker, let me say that | am
and have been for years a commercial
traveller. | have always patronized
brokers to a large extent. | have never
had offered me as transportation what
had been issued by the railroad as a free
pass or pass of any kind. In some in
stances unused tickets, but mostly, and
especially in recent years, mileage, for
which, of course, the railroad had had its
pay in full and had the use of the money
for some time in advance. During two
years in Vermont have never had any
thing but mileage offered. In fact, as
everybody knows, the business Of brOk-
ers here is almost wholly confined to
their renting of books.
1t is base, it is outrageous to charge
these men with being fences for the
receipt of stolen goods. Many of them
are men honored and respected in the
! business community. and in most in
stances have other lines of legitimate
| business, to which ticket-broking is a
side issue.
The Herald says in one breath that
the larger part of the business of the
broker is that of stolen goods, and in the
next that if the railroad "can cut of the
brokers' traffic in books one great step
is taken in driving him out of business -
This is a sample of the kind of reason
ing put forward to maintain a bad
cause and carries with it its own refu-
tation. If the brokers' chief business is
selling stolen tickets, why not attack
him on that ground by catching the
thieves? If such were the case it would
not be hard to do. On the other hand
the Rutland railroad, which the Herald
is defending, has begun this discrimina
ton in mileage for the avOwed purpose
of driving the broker out of business
and this proves, if nothing else does
that the broker deals in that for which
the railroad has been paid in full The
Herald is simply begging the question.
There is but one way to destroy the
broker to sell all transportation at two
cents per mile. The railroad can anC
ought to carry passengers at that rate
and then there would be an end to the
whole matter.
The Herald intimates that the bushes:
of railroads in Vermont has not beer
profitable. This may seem so, and the
condition of the railroad corporation;
would seem to prove it. But let US re-
member that large private fortunes have
been piled up by the officers of these
same roads, and it looks to - a man up &
tree" as though there was money in il
somewhere.
Again, the Herald says that in selling
tickets at reduced rates the railroad cal
make it condition that the passenger
must stand on his head or wear blue
overalls," if it chooses. Well. Well
Yes; here is Just the point. Many of u!
have long observed that the railroad man
agement seem to have adopted the princi
pie which some genius coined into the
phrase, 8" The public be id" The
Herald has our thanks for briefly anC
frankly avowing for its client in so many
words the colors it wishes to nail to tn,
, mast. We, the travelling public, must pu
up with this sentiment In railroad Officers
and ployees-conductors as a rule
being shining eXception-from supern
tendent to the man who smashes YOU
, baggage.
/ Yes, the railroad does redeem unused
tickets; but the way is so hedgeC
/ about with difficulties and objections a
to make it a practical nudity. Many o
the persons who patronize the roads d,
not know that 1t can be done; others d,
, not know how to go about it, and but TO
{ the broker would simply pocket los
, which is the gain of a corporation rul
f on the plan of get all you can and keel
! all you can get"
} Ticket brokers supply a public want
2 they will continue to be so long as thi
3 want exists. And the Rutland railroad
2 is pursuing a short-sighted policy in thi
matter. For the travelling public always
+ | am, COMMERCIAL.
I Spring Grove Campmeeting.
a The Burlington district camp meetin,
+ will be held at Spring Grove cam
grounds from Aug. % to Sept. inclu