The record-union., 1898-01-07
SCALPING OF
RAILWAY TICKETS.
The Interstate Commerce Committee
Resumes Its Hearing
Relative to the Bill Which is Now Pending
in the Senate.
Some Interesting Statements in
Favor OF and Against the Meas
ure Made by Prominent Mer-
chants and Travelling Men of
the East.

| WASHINGTON, Jan. 6.-The Inter
state Commerce Committee to-day re-
sumed its hearing on the anti-scalpel
BILL
Mr.. Mckenzie, President of The
American Ticket Brokers Association
said he had received affidavits from g
number Of ticket brokers confirming
his statement that the brokers secured
80 per cent. of the tickets sold by them
from the railroad companies.
When Senator Cullom asked fol
names, Mr.. Mckenzie replied that the
answer would be a breach of confidence
While he considered the question prop
er, still he declined to name the COM
panies except under a summons. In
that case he would respond, but he did
not want to break faith.
4. j. Thiele Of the Illinois CONNER
cial Mems Association, opposed the bill
as unjust, claiming that the owner of a
railroad ticket should be allowed to dis
pose OF it as he might see fit, as would
the owner of any other commodity.
Senator WOlcott made the point that
no honest, honorable man would be
caught travelling around on another
mans name on q. non-transferable
ticket.
Mr.. Thiele said he had known of men
whom he believed to be honest doing
that thing. He said what the travelling
men wanted was a uniform, fat $20-a-
thousand rate.
p. E. Dow, President of the CONNER
cial Travellers National League, also
appeared in antagonism to the bill.
William S. King, President of the
Merchants Association of New York,
spoke for the bill. He was opposed to
discrimination, hence he favored the
pending bill. He characterized as for
gerry the dealing in railroad tickets,
saying that it was opposed to the Con-
stitution of the United States. He did
not believe, he said, In q course that
would save one dollar at the expense of
the crime of forgery. He said there
were very few firms that would en-
ploy a man as traveller who would
deal with ticket brokers.
NJ. A. Compton of Chicago, of the Ma
tional Association of Merchants and
Travellers, urged the passage of the
bill. He had been for years a CONNER
cial traveller, and did not accept the
doctrine that the travelling men were
as a class favorable to the system of
dealing in railroad tickets through the
brokers.
Mr.. Compton contended that so long
as the right is claimed to control the
railroads by legislation, they ought also
TO be protected in the same way. He
asserted that railroad charges were
lower in this country than in others,
and said his association considered it
to be its duty to assist the railroads in
continuing to perform their duty to the
public.
The hearing for the day closed with
a brief but vigorous statement by J. B.
Dill of New York, counsel for the Mer-
chants Association of New York, who
declared that of the ! 100 firms of this
association in New York, representing
$500,O00,0 600. there had been not one
vote cast against the proposition to
support this BILL and of the 10000 firms
outside that city, representing another
S500,000,000, only eighteen had opposed
it, He said the merchants generally
allowed their travelling men full rates,
and that the ticket brokers' offices Of
fered to them temptation to go wrong
These Places" he said. "savor of
darkness rather than of light, and are
a trap and temptation to young men
travelling for reputable houses"
He also contended for the legal right
of the railroads to protection and sup
port, and asserted that those who were
opposing the bill We're contending for
the right to do wrong
N E. Kelly. Commissioner of the
Freight Transportation department of
the Traders League of Philadelphia
filed a statement in support of the bill
The committee then adjourned until
tomorrow.