The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1896-02-07

"a WAAUW600 u I0V0IOVNs
TERMS. e2.oo PER ANNUM
Entsrsd ct the post once : P3mhina g see.
ond less mail matter.
q. N.-olvE NOTHING.
President James ]. Hill, Of the
Great Northern, has o61cially decided
that the press has forfeited all right
and claim to his esteemed considera.
tion. Editorial aud advertising trans
portation is consequently obsolete on
that system. The cause Of Mr.. Hills
displeasure is to be found in the posi-
tlon taken by the newspapers Of the
northwest on the recent consollda-
the Great Northern and Northern Pa
cific. This decision will not mean
much to the metropolitan press, but
We country editors will feel it.-Mln.
neapolis Journal.
This paper has always been opposed
to the present system of editorial
mileage as practiced under the sinter-
state-commerce laws. We believe
that railroads should advertise and
pay for advertising just as anybody
else does. IT payment is made in
transportation, that may be all right,
but let the transportation be trans
ferable. Publishers often advertise
and take payment in goods, but the
railroads not only pay nothing but
but say you must consume all
these goods yourself, you cannot sell
to others, and anv left over at the end
Of the year shall be worthless.
Under this system, abuses are end
less. Roads issue, or refuse, to issue
mileage as the caprice stakes them,
and publishers-some of them at least
get all the mileage they can aud
sell it to whomsoever they can, not
withstaDding an agreement to the
contrary. As a matter Ut fact, the
present mileage and ticket system Is
but little, If any, better than the old
pass system now declared unlawful.
On the other hand we don't believe
the publishers In general would suffer
under legitimate system Of rail-
road advertising. There is no busi-
ness on earth, that needs and must
have constant and conspicuous ad-
vertising, more than railroads
though any railroad; that refuses 70
pay lof adyertislng will get iota ofs r.
yertistnR free. Il ssss {
We do not know what Mr.. Hills
ideas are, and why he has refused to
give the newspaper boys GU his lines
mileage this year. He may be In
tending to reform the whole business,
and pay for what he gets, and get
what he pays for and that would be .
good thing.
But IL Mr.. Hill thinks he can run
the Great Northern without news
paper help, in the face Of the compe-
tition which parallels his lines, he
twill find that he will be playing a
/. losing game.
Already the general line of policy of
the Great Northern in this state, as
! contrasted with the policy of its rival,
the Northern Pacific, has created a
strong feeling for the latter road, and
we do not believe q railroad can afford
such comparisons any more than any
other business.
But, IL it is true as mentioned in
the quoted paragraph above, that 1T
is done as matter of retaliation. be-
cause the newspapers have had the
honesty to oppose Mr.. HIll's schemes,
1t will be 81 much more honor for the
newspapers and so much less for Mr..
Hill.
And perhaps when the country edit
or balances his books at the end of the
year, he will be able to congratulate
himself, that because he had no mile.
age he stayed at home and saved mon.
ey;.for it is an open question whether
free mileage to the country editor. In
the long run, isnot> an expensive lux.
ury.
A test case on taxing wheat in store
In elevators is about to be made.
Several counties, including this coun-
ty, have assessed wheat In store In
elevators for couple of years past,
some Of which wheat the elevators
claim belongs to other people, and
who. in many cases, are not known to