The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-30
NO LONGER HAVE RAKE-OFFS.
" ESTERN LINES WILL NOT STAND
FOR COMMISSIONS.

Circular Signed by Executive OFT
GERS States That No More Fees win
BE Paid for the Sale of Tickets.
The Agreement VIII BE Maintain
ed-This Is in Line with the Action
Taken Long Ago by Southern
Lines-Thc Latter Withdrew Ac-
auiesence in Their Last Commits
sions Just "a Few Days Ago-They
Had Been Informed of the Com
tempIated Action of Western
Lines.
The general passenger agents of local
lines have received circulars announcing
that several lines in the West, principal
ly, have agreed to discontinue the prac-
tice of allowing commissions on the sale
of tickets. They have determined to cut
off all forms of stipends for the disposal
of tickets, and agents will hereafter have
to be content with the salaries they get
from their roads.
Some seventy-flve of the leading lines
in the Western section are a unit in the
matter. They mad representatives at a
meeting held in Chicago on Jan. "a, when
the action was taken. All who attended
were executive officials of their lines, and
the conclusion they reached will be ad
here1 to.
The dscontinuance of commissions and
all forms of emoluments other than sal
aries for the sale of tickets will be an
other blow to scalpers in the section. in
which it will become effective. Tomorrow
the new rule will operate, and brokers
who have been given tickets for sale by
certain lines viii no longer receive them.
In the South there has been no such pat
ronage of brokers by the railroads, but in
the West the roads have dealt with them
extensively. and the withdrawal of the
business will represent considerable loss
to those engaged in the business.
7 cket brokers in the West have been
cmplaining for a year or more of their
accumulating troubles. First one thing
and then another mas been done to curtail
their privileges or to discredit their bust
ness. Adverse legislation has been sought
and a general sentiment has been built
up az ainst them. The abolition of the
commission system viii but add to the
discontinue of those who have been pro-
filing by it,
For years there have been no commits
sions in the South on the sale of tickets
AT least, there has practically been free
dom from them, the roads having to par
ticlpate in commissions on but one class
OF busin SIS, that from certain points west
OF the Mississippi to others north of the
Potomac. Two routes between those points
are available. Southern lines or Western
ones The latter have offered commissions
and the former, in order TO meet compe-
tition, had to do likewise.
At Southeast ern Passenger Association
meeting in Atlanta on Jan. Is, the officials
decided to participate no longer in such
commissions. That they did so was due
to the fact that they had already been adj
Vised by the Western lines of their deter
mination to enter upon such an agreement
as the circular now gives information Of
Unless such action had been contemplated
by the Western lines ii would have been
impossible for those in the territory of the
Southeastern Passenger Association TO re-
fuse to longer participate in commissions
on business through to the East from
points In Texas and ueighboring states.
Passenger officials in the South agreed
long ago that commissions OF this kind
caused the greatest demoralization The
Southern Ines have always been conserva-
tive boast that the officials are glad to
make. They have been saved no little
trouble through such being the case, and
they hold that this freedom from the com
mission system has helped them no little