New-York tribune., 1907-01-11
SOME "BIG STICK" WORK NEEDED

Mayor McClellan's threat TO apply 1.-The big
stick" TO the sidewalk ticket spectators will
be heartily seconded by long suffering puonc.
These buZzing gentry. who display the voraclty
and persistency Of the New Jersey culex- are
as great a nuisance IN our streets as ever were
the irritable and irritating race Of poets' who,
as Propertius tells Us once infested Via Appia.
Those Roman street bores paid no licenses but
ours do, and it is so much the less to our credit
that we virtually commission them for $50
fee to prey on the theatregoing community.
The Mayor does not eIaggerate the case when
he says that 1.-The tactics employed by some or
these men are q deplorable blow at the good
name Of our city" and that the business of
ticket speculation now conducted 1s AN IN
tolerable nuisance" The Board Of Aldermen
has passed certain ordinances regulating this
traffic, and the Mayor asks for more leg1sIa'
ton, In spite of the fact that such regulations
as we have are almost dead letter. There IS
more to be hoped, we think, from vigorous
crusade on the part of the License Bureau,
which Is under the Mayors immediate super
vision, and the public Will probably be entirely
satisfied IL in default Of further regulation Mr.
Mcclellan uses the power he possesses and re-
vokes all outstanding licenses.
Sidewalk ticket hawking has no rational 5usti-
fcation 1t adds in no way to the convenience
of the public; for the majority Of theatregoers
obtain their tickets in advance, and II seats are
left for late comers It Is as easy and far more
satisfactory to purchase them inside at tho
theatre box office. Ticket holders, and even
passersby, are now annoyed and insulted ny
the street venders while those who buy from
SPECTATORS have no protection against misrep-
resentation and extortion. Purchasers are never
quite sure, TOO, that the tickets they buy at
extravagant rates will be accepted on presenta-
ton It has been suggested that the city charge
license fee Of $500 year instead of $50, thus
throwing the traffic into the hands Of a better
class of hawkers. But this would probably
only result In creating monopoly and rails
ing the margin of profit to the speculator. Abo-
lition is preferable on every ground. The busi-
ness is parasitical, and as at present conducted
Is an obvious street nuisance
The Mayor suggests that the hotel ticket
agencies be made TO pay licenses as we'll as
the street hawkers There is much to be said
both for and against the hotel agency system.
1t does meet public want in that 1t enables
visitors in town (and visitors are the chief sup
port Of the New York theatres) to obtain good
seats conveniently and at n moderate advance
over normal rates. On the other hand, It forces
residents to purchase tickets at the agencies,
for in most theatres practically all the desir-
able seats are pledged weeks If not months
in advance to the hotel brokers' The man.
ayers advertise orchestra seats at 81. But
often at the box office only back row orches-
ira places are to be obtained at that price.
This is an imposition on the home public. I'm
doubtedly the hotel brokerage system Is q source
of profit to most managers, and 1t Is evidently
in their interest to maintain it. Possibly good
deal of inconvenience would result from It's
abandonment There can be no objection, how
ever, to bringing 1t, If 1t is to continue. under
the supervision Of the city authorities.