The Coalville times. [volume] (Coalville, Utah) 1894-1923, 1906-10-05
PROTEST
Call Latest Ruling Of Commerce Com.
mission Unfair.
RAILROAD ADS BARRED
Say There Is Nothing In the Law
That Calls for Such an lnterpre.
tation go The Commission
Flooded with kicks"

Washington The recent ruling Of
the Interstate commerce commission
10 the effect that nothing hut money
can be paid for transportation Of
either persons or property" means
that In the future the railroads will be
prohibited from exchanging transpor.
tation for advertising space in the
newspapers Of the country
The ruling has already aroused a
storm Of protest from the publishers
throughout the country. Every mail
into Washington brings hundreds uf
letters from newspaper men an OF
which severely criticise the commits
sion for going out Of It's way TO hit
the newspapers The publishers In.
sist that there 81 nothing In the new
law which would In any way forbid
the railroads from purchasing adycr
Using space TO be- paid for In trans
pOrtatiOn. and that such a ruling is
not only uncalled for by either tho
letter or the spirit Of the law. but ~
unconstitutional as we'll
One prominent publisher said day
or two ago:
There Is not only nothing In the
new rate law which would call for
such a ruling as this from the com
mission, but the ruling 10 antagonistic
10 the national constitution as well.
ana IL win not be upheld hy the
courts. The railroads that desire pub
liclty through the medium OF my pub.
licatiun make advertising contracts
with me, and say me for the space
used with transportation which Is the
same as money 10 me. as Il IS used by
myself or my employees In connection
with my business. The government
might with equal Justice say the mcr.
chant could not give dry goods or
any other marketable commodity In
exchange Tor advertising space. The
courts would not uphold such a ruling
az that for one moment. and there 20
no more reason why they should up.
hold this latest crration Of the com.
mcrcc commission. for Il is equally as
untcnable 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 ac.
counts can be paid for In transporta.
ton. Nor does this increased amount
Of advertising affect the interests OF
tho general public I'm any way. but
II does assist In making the prosperity
OF the American newspapers and peri.
odicals. 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 II effect In any way the
rates charged the general public for
transportation for either person or
property. II Is a benefit 10 the rail.
roads In that II enables them to do q
greater amount OF advertising that
they otherwise could or would do, and
IN this way secure greater amount
Of business for their lines. and under
a just Interpretation Of the law this
Increase In business would eventually
lead TO a reduction Of transportation
charges TO the general public Il In
an unjust aud uncallcd for ruling. and
both the publisher and the railroads
should fight g."
That publishers are fighting II. not
only by their protests TO the commits.
sion but by protesting 10 their repre-.
sentatiyes In both houses Of congress.
is proven by the fact that already ''Is
commission IL receiving commu,.,ca.
lions from many senators and con.
grcssmen In which these representa-.
lives OF the people declare they had
no intention OF passing a law that
would AFFECT the newspapers In this
way. and that there Is nothing In the
new law which calls for such n ruling
on the part Of the commission