Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-07
TO PROHIBIT SOALPING
COMMISSIONERS FAVOR BILL FOR
PURPOSE.
Sale of Railroad Tickets by Brokers
Threshed Over Thoroughly-De-
cision Reached Today.

The District Commissioners have decided
to send to Congress with a request for its
early enactment the proposed bill prohibit
ing ticket brokers from dealing in reduced
rate railroad exclusion tickets to Washing
ton which are known as signed contract
tickets. A hearing was held on this sub
|, ject of legislation yesterday morning, and
Commissioner West today took the initia-
tive in recommending that the draft of the
bill be sent to Congress.
Commissioner West today made an in
dorsement on the papers in the case which
will be used as the draft of the letter to be
sent to Congress along with the bill. 1t is
desired that the legislation be enacted in
time to apply to tickets sold during the
Inauguration period. Mr.. West, in his in
dorsement. says:
1.-The Commissioners have been advised
that the various trunk railroads will place
on sale excursion tickets, at the usual half
rate, from all sections of the United States
to Washington and return, for the in
augural period and that the time limit OF
the tickets will be extended considerably
beyond the usual ten days. They have
taken this favorable action with the knowl-
edge that dishonest traffic in these tickets
can be prevented by securing an injunction
in the Supreme Court of the District fol-
lowing the precedent established at the
time of the Grand Army reunion in Wash
ingtoll. when the requisite injunction was
granted by Justice Hagner.
1T has been suggested, however. that
instead of this temporary expedient, a law
should be passed by Congress to cover not
only the inaugural period but all occasions
of the assembly of large gatherings in the
national capital The proposed bill SIM
ply enacts into law the principle laid down
by the court
Mr. West mentions that legislation SINH
lar to that proposed here has been adopted
in no less than ten states and that quite a
number of cities. including st. Louis and
Birmingham, have enacted local ordinances
to meet the situation. The Commissioners
believe, MI West says, that the enactment
of the proposed bill will keep Washington
during the Inauguration and other similar
periods, free from class of ticket brokers
whose presence is certainly not desirable.
The Hearing Yesterday.
A hearing was held before the District
Commissioners yesterday relative to the bill
prohibiting traffic by local ticket brokers
in signed contract excursion tickets to
Washington. The ticket brokers present
were: Fred H. liable. George R. May and
Fred Sehwab and the railroad companies
were represented by w. s. Bronson of
the Chesapeake and Ohio and B. NJ New
bold of the Pennsylvania. Mr.. Bronson
presented the railroads side of the case
and Mr.. liable made the argument for the
brokers
Mr.. Bronson said that the courts have
and will grant the railroads injunctions
prohibiting traffic by the brokers in re-
duced-rate excursion tickets, which are
signed by the original purchaser. Justice
Hagner of the District Supreme Court
granted an injunction of. that character
during the last G. A. r. encampment held
here. He said that the railroads cannot
make all round-trip tickets to Washington
contract tickets. because it would be in
expedient and impractcable. He declared
that persons other than the original ptr-
chasers of contract tickets are able to use
the return coupon by simple forgery.
Mr.. liable declared that if the bill pro-
posed is enacted there will not be ticket
broker in Washington within three months
the railroads get the legislation through
Congress they will make all their tickets
contract tickets. He said the brokers are
willing to agree not to handle any special
rate tickets to Washington during the
Inauguration. Mr.. liable also declared that
seven out of every ten contract tickets are
signed by the original purchaser. In the
three other cases the original purchasers
give the purchaser of the return coupon
the right to sign their names. He declared
the practice is not forgery.
Several sharp colloquies between the rep
reSentatives of the two interests were in
dulged in during the hearing Before the
close of the arguments Commissioner West
suggested that the BILL which will be pro-
posed as an amendment to the personal tax
law. provide that before a license is issued
in the sum of $1,000 to guarantee that he
will not engage in the purchase or sale of
contract excursion tickets. and also pro-
viding that the broker must be a resident
of the District one year prior to the issu-
ance of the license.