Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-04-15
Former Ticket Broker Bitterly
Arraigns Existing Policy Of
Transportation Companies.
UNFULFlLLED PROMISES.
Scalpers Painted In Glowing Colors
And Some Very odious Compare
sons Drawn by Correspondent

oscar Groshell erstwhile ticket
broker, whose occupation has been
declared Illegal. sends TO tho News
n long communication at the top OF
which are pasted two clippings from
proposed abolition of second class
fares, and the other the perpetual in
junction issued by Judge Morse, re-
straining scalprs from buying or sell
ing railroad tickets.
As there are two sides to every
question, Mr.. Groshell's side is here
with reproduced without comment;
Editor News" In your paper last
night, l read the above items of in
terest.
As I read smiled and thought of
what the ticket broker always claimed
would happen when he was legislated
cut of business. But hardly thought
that 1t would happen so quickly.
didn't figure on reading in one column
of your paper the news of the abol-
ition OF the ticket boxer and on the
next page read of a sweeping raise
in rates.
Every railroad man who read last
nights News" and noticed the above
items must have smiled too.
Only his smile was trifie broader
than mine and as he smiled he said:
THE public be damned"
The ticket brokers of this country
have always claimed that when they
were abolished. the rates would be
raised as the broker always stood be-
tween the rapacity of the company and
the public Read any railroad at
torney's arguments in favor of abol-
iShing the broker, and he has always
claimed that as soon as this conn
mercial pirate was abolished. just as
soon would the railroads make
favorable rates, grant cheap one
way and round trip tickets.
And to the everlasting discredit of
the American people, there were plen-
ty OF fools who really believed it.
And there were plenty of editors who
also believed it or at least they wrote
as though they believed 1t.
The brokers have been abolished.
The railroad rates have been reduc-
ed-as per last nights News"
Some years ago. we had a $25 rate
to the coast. Plenty of you News"
readers remember the rate. Plenty big
enough rate to pay for the privilege
of riding in the cars" the road furn-
shed
Tine brokers had crimp put in them
on westbound business, which virtual
ly took them out of the field,
Then the roads promptly reduced
the rate to $40, from the various rate
of S25. 1t is still $50, although the brok
er Is abolished, and they have had a
chance TO reduce as per promise.
A few years ago the roads had all
kinds of cheap one-way, and round
trip tickets from the east to Salt Lake.
Brokers fiourished. Then another crlmp
was put in the brokers on these tick
cts, by the roads The roads respond
ed by abolishing most of the one way
tickets and good many of the round
trips.
Still the brokers managed to squeeze
along for a time until the roads got
decision in the supreme court of the
United States, which decision means
that you can buy ticket, you can pay
for it. but you can't own It, 1t still
belongs to the railroad after you have
paid for It. That decision is too much
for my understanding.
Now the same day that the "News''
publishes final inJuntlon restraining
ticket brokers from doing any furth-
er business, the same paper publishes
q notice from the roads to the effect
that on and after May l you will pay
first class or walk The language In
the quotation marks is the News"
not mine.
Now, whisper it softly this is only
a starter. From now on, personally
conducted excursions. homeseeker
rates, excursion rates Of all kinds that
will tend to benefit the public are to be
abolished just as fast as I'VE can get
TO It," That is, Just as fast MS the
broker can be crimped to a finish, In
the different cities.
AS Uncle Dave remarked to the
writer some years ago: 'If you don't
like the signed contract on our tickets
why in h. don't you walk when
you want to go to Omaha" Sure.
That's the stuff.
THE public be damned"
And that Is why every railroad man
In the intermountain country laughed
when he read last nights News"
Your truly.