The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-05-21
AS TO TICKET SCALpING
Position of the Southern Pacific in
the Premises is Noteworthy.
ROADS INTERESTS MUST BRpUOTEcTED
Either the Sealper or the Reduced Rate
Must Go--E'lans OF Procedure
Suggested.


DO the people of Houston and those or
the state Of Texas generally want tho rs
slstancc and gond will Of the railroads
or do they prefer the presence Of the ticket
scalpcrs?
This said wei posted man in dis
cussins the matter yesterday, lis The oues.
tlcn on which hinges. to very large de.
gree the progress aud the prosperity Of
the state OF Texas. Conditions are now
such that the railroads must either be
protected against the scapers or refuse
absolutely to do anything for the State as
a whole, or for any portion Of IT, In the
way Of reduced rates Either the scalper
or the reduced rate must GO
''Ihe highest court of Texas has snid
that the law regulating tho business OF
toe scalper Is unconstitutional and all of
the railways of the State are again AT
the mercy of the festive ticket broker or
course there are scalpers and scalpnrs.
Some of them may be good, hut | am firm.
~ convinced that most of them are bad.
The public is Just as defenseless against
them as are the railroads. You might go
To one of them and buy ticket which
be put of the railway train and you would
go to the man from whom you purchased
tile ticket and demand AN explanation II
he was as dishonest and INSCRIPTIONS as
some Of the scalpers with whom the roads
of this state have had to deal he might
tell you he never saw you before and you
would have absolutely no recourse, espccl.
ally If you were a stranger. The lawyer
whom you would consult would ask you
II you could prove having purchased the
ticket from the scalper and when you al
mitted that you could not, he would tell
you that you had no case. If you were
foolish enough to take the matter to the
courts, you would lind that 1t had re-
solved Itself down to question of yeracty
between two men and you would stand
very small chance of getting anything
but the worst OF 1t, especially it, as | said
before. you were stranger.
The remedy to be applied now that the
law has been pronounced unconstitutional
Well there may be more than Que. In the
first place, ii would be well TO get the
public interested in the matter. Make the
people feel that the whole thing Is of
vital interest TO them by showing them
how the continuance OF the scalper H.
business Will hurt their fairs AMI the va
rious events which are usually attended 10y
large crowds attracted, to large degree
by low railroad rates. II the railroads
would make an attempt to get bill pro
hlhltiug the business OF the scalper through
the State legislature the old element which
is continually bowling about railroad cor
lorntio controlling legislation would come
To the front and the movement would Zoe
defeated In its infancy. But get the PEG
pie ON your side and the thing will be
entirely different, | am in position
state that AT least one hig system In this
State-the Southern paciflc--will absolute
" refrain from making low rates for The
events which IL has previously helped alonl
Ia this way unless it Is assured OF pro
lection against the scalper. Let the people
think over this for awhile. Let them con
slider what effect the failure OF the roads
/ 10 make low rates will produce and thcr
/ let them act When II is known thai
| public sentiment Is with the railroads
| bill SO constructed as to provide the mucl
| needed remedy would pass the Legislature
| without any trouble.
Then there is another plan" continued
| the speaker. THE railroad commission
/ has great deal of power II has the pos e
/ 10 say To the railroads of the State. No'
must not change your rates without IN
! consent Of this commission. You must IL
J make lower rate than that Of your com
/ petitor without consulting this body. Why
/ then. can not the commission regulate IN
scalpers? Since II has the power to prolihi
| a railroad company from selling ticket q
| a lower rate than that at which IL Is sol
hy rival company why on earth has
not the power to prohibit an individun
( from doing the same thtngf Why can !
not make a law which shall he just a
binding as are its other laws. which shaI
| provide that railroad tickets shall be sol
| bv no one hut the regularly licensed an
authorized agents Of the railroad compa
/ niesg If YOU will read the law under Whlc
the railroad commission was formed No
| will more that u is given tho power
regulate all abuses. Do YOU know OF m
abuse worse than that to which rho raj
! roads are compelled to submit al the nRnd
Of the scalpers:
"'rhcn. Of course. the matter may Il
| controlled 10 some extent AT least, by loci
or municipal legislation. Even II II Wonl
he unconstitutional for a city 10 pass a
ordinance prohibiting the sale Of ticker
by scalperS the thing could he handled
nuhlic sentiment was Of the proper sor
when the people begin 70 learn mar tnel
interests and those Of the railroads, an
ors are Identical. they will no doubt hGgl
10 act Up to few months ago, whc
The previously disputed Pennsylvanln Ia
nrohihitipg ticket scalping was declare
lnonstitutionaI bv the supreme court. IN
scaIpers carried on their business In pra
fjcaily every city Of the state except fhll,
delnhia The citizens OF that place WEI
on tho side of the railroads. ihey req
lied thai the PENNSYLVANIA road Tor ]
1 stance. was their great commercihl nflhr
and they set about 20 see tuh! ne H. -
we're protected. II, dnrlng the tline l,
INV was still in dispute. scalper Gnu
70 philadelphia and began To- open up ~"
no was warned to dcsist hy the poli'
II no pprsistc1 he was arrested anu lhh,
n upligp station NNtl's Nv ''''
..ouid he relegsed on bond. II he aga
ott~mptea 10 open his place he was aga
, arrested and he soon became tired % "
F, game. The law prohibiting scolueri a. a,
not vet been declared constitutional u
d h"rst ord bnt. as / said before. public Sc
,fmert was with the railroads and as
,esult tho roads and the people as ",
were protected. am merely me wv da,
thnse things To show what can ne go
onTe ,hongh needed legislation is lackin
:, oocnrs 70 me that the people Of Tex
+. shonld he able 70 md several moraiS
= tuls I, hacomcs necessary for some oi q
: liz roads 70 decline TO announce low rat
FOR some big event. ..a,+,
I'm this eonnrction, | might can o atrenu
v - nnln eNnnsliion reAliZed The llnp1