The National tribune., 1906-07-26
wAsHeToN D. c. THURSDAY July IS


THE VALlDA11NG NEIsANCB.
Are we to have Another repetition of
the validating Instance at Minnsapolis2
1t seems stranf hat after the bitter
experiences at spf ious Encampments
the railroads sApu think Of repeating
this ahiiction poS the veterans and
their families i Tie nuisance reached
the dimensionsHoeaa horror at Boston.
and so much VIZ sad at that time about
1t that 1t seemed the railroads would
take warning md make better provi-
sions for the firtfre. At Denver last
year there was q marked improvement.
There were several validating Offices es-
tablished and liberal time was granted
to have the tickets taken care Of. The
main objection was the petty larceny Of
rs cents on every ticket for valuation.
This was nothing else than larceny
since the railroads had advertised a
certain rate for round tickets. and the
addition Of Is cents for valuation was
a simple steal. This year 1t Is an
for valuation, and consequently there
can be less complaint. as everyone will
know that he must pay Is cents in ad-
dition to the advertised rate. The sys-
tenn of valuation as now announced
promises to repeat the worst features OF
the Boston outrage. Tickets must be
validated within half an hour of the
departure of the train. This means q
hot. anxious perspiring crowd at the
valuation office: a great deal Of fatigue
to aged men and women in carrying
their baggage and parcels and q wholly
unnecessary worry.
The whole valuation business Is q
chastity humbug, and the railroads
should know 1t. 1t has no reason in
common sense or good railroad policy.
The railroads sell the tickets impartially
to all who apply for them, and then get
into a tremor of excitement lest John
Jones should not perhaps ride out OF
Minneapolis on the ticket upon which
he entered. This is in the highest de-
gree absurd, for John Jones is not going
to stay In Minneapolis. II he does not
go out on his G. A. r. ticket. he will
have to go out later on first-class tick
et and the railroad will be that much
the richer. The railroad is not so des-
perately enamored Of John Jones that 1t
will have nobody else than he. 1t will
sell to anybody that asks and the name
ter Of supreme indifference.
The whole pother Is made to head off
the sealpers who buy every year q con-
siderable number Of excursion tickets
and sell them again at a profit. The
valuation scheme does not defeat these
scalpers, hardly embarrasses them. and
therefore It iS as useless as 1t Is costly.
The main. the controlling fact is. as we
have stated before. that substantially
every man apd,,owoman who goes to
Minneapolis on AN Encampment ticket
will have to gohout Of the city. Very
few will remain In Minneapolis for any
length Of uipS. and when they dc. go
out. II they have disposed Of their En-
campment tickeErthey will have to buy
a first-class ftekft in its stead. and the
ultimate gainois With the railroad: that
Is. IL John Jones. who intended to stay
in Minnea polls sxhree months, buys an
Encampment ticket and then scalps the
return portion 10 Peter Smith. Jones
will, when he desires to return, have TO
buy first-classs ticket. and the result
Is the same to the railroad as IL Peter
Smith had bought It in the first place.
Unless the railroads want to bring UNI
measured condemnation down upon
their heads they will take every precau-
ton to reduce the valuation nuisance
to Its mildest possible form. The vet
Grams Of the country are too deeply
angered over their experiences at past
Encampments to treat any new outrage
upon them with much gentleness.