The Springfield herald., 1906-10-05
.EDITORSPR0TEST
c o M M e RcE coMMis sSiONER's
RULING is CALLED UNFAIR.
RAILROAD ADS ARE BARRED
Newspaper Men Can Find Nothing in
the Law Warrantins Such An Inter
probation - Commission Flooded

probation - Commission Flooded
With "Kicks."
Washington.-The recent ruling of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
to the effect that nothing but money
can be paid for transportation of
either persons or property" means
that in future the railroads will be pro-
hibited from exchanging transporta
tion for advertising space IN the news
papers of the country.
The ruling has already aroused .
storm of protest from the publishers
throughout the country. Every mail
into Washington brings hundreds oil
letters from newspaper men, all of
which severely criticise the commits
sion for going out of Its way to hit
the newspapers The publishers in
sist that there is nothing in the new
law which would in any way forbid
the railroads from purchasing adver.
tising space to be paid for in trans.
portation, and that such ruling is not
only uncalled for by either the letter
or the spirit of the law, bat is uncon-
stitutional as well.
One prominent publisher said day
or two ago:
There is not only nothing in the
new rate law which would call for
such ruling as this from the com.
mission, but the ruling is autagonistic
to the national constitution as we'll,
and it will not be upheld by the courts.
The railroads that desire publicity
through the medium Of my publication
make advertising contracts with me,
and pay me for the space used with
transportation. which is the same az
money to me, as it is used by myself
or my employees in connection with my
business. The government might with
equal Justice say the merchant should
not give dry goods or any other mar
ketable commodity in exchange for ad'
vertising space. The courts would not
uphold such a ruling as tnat for one
moment, and there is no more reason
why they should uphold this latest er'
ration of the Commerce Commission
for 1t is equally as unterable as the
proposition between the publisher and
the merchant would be.
Everyone knows that the railroads
do, and can afford to, advertise more
heavily when their advertising &C
counts can be paid for in transporta
ton. Nor does this increased amount
of advertising affect the interests oil
the general public in any way, but
it does assist in making ,lie prosper
ity of the American newspapers and
periodicals. The transportation that Is
given to newspapers in exchange for
advertising does not affect in any way
the equitable enforcement OF the rate
law. nor does it affect in any way the
rates charged the general public fof
transportation for either persons or
property. 1t is a benefit to the rail-
roads in that it enables them to do
greater amount of Advertising that
they otherwise could or would do, and
in this way secure a greater amount
of business for their lines. and under
a just Interpretation of the law this
increase in business would eventually
lead TO reduction of transportation
charges 10 the general public. 1t Is
an unjust and uncalled for iuling, and
both the publishers and TIC railroads
should fight it,
That publishers are fighting it, not
only by their protests to The commits
sion, but by protesting to their repre-
sentatives in both houses of Congress
is proven by the fact tina. already the
commission is receiving communica
tions from many senators and con
gressmen in which these representa-
tives of the people declare they had
no intention of passing law that
would affect the newspapers in this
way, and that there is nothing in the
new law which calls for such ruling
on the part of the commission.