The Carlisle independent., 1906-10-04
EDITORS PROTESTING
CALL LATEST RULING OF COM MERGE COMMISSION UNFAIR.
RAILROAD ADS ARE BARRED
Say There is Nothing in the Law That Calls for Such an Interpretation The Commission Flooded
 with Kicks"

Washington.-The recent ruling of the interstate commerce commission 10 the effect that nothing but money can be paid for transportation of either petsons of property means that in 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 of letters from newspapers men, all of which severely critieise the commits sion for going out of it's way to nit the newspapers" The publishers in- sist that there is nothing new in the law which would in any way forbid the railroads from purchasing adver- Using space to be paid for in trans portation and that such a ruling is not only uncalled for by either the letter or the spirit of the law, but is unconstitutional as well.
 One prominent publisher said a 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 con- mission. but the ruling is antagonistic to the national constitution as we'll and it will not be upneld by the courts. The railroads that desire pub. iicity through the medium of my pub lication make advertising contracts with me. and pay me for the space used with transportation. which is the same as money to me, and it is used by myself or my employees in connection with my business. The government might with equal justice say the mer- chant could not give dry goods or any other marketable commodity in exchange for advertising space. The courts would not uphold such ruling as that for one moment, and there Is no more reason why they should up. hold this latest erfation of the com merce commission. for it is equally as untenable a6 the proposition between the publisher and the merchant would be
 Everybody 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 the general public in any way. but it 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 it affect in any way the rates charged the general public for transportation for either persons or property. It is a benefit to the rail roads. in that it enables them to do greater amount of advertising than they otherwise could or would do. and in this way secure a greater amount of business for their lines, and under a just interpretation would eventually l lead to reduction of transportation | charges to the general public. It Is | an unjust and uncalled for ruling, and both the publishers and the railroads should fight it.
 That publishers are fighting it, not only by their protests to the commis- sion but by protesting to their repre- sentatiyes in both houses of congress. is proven by the fact that already the commission is receiving communica- tions from many senators and con- gressmen in which these representa- tiyes of the people declare they had no intentian of passing a law that would affect the newspapers in this way, and that there is nothing in the new law whicn calls for such a ruling on the part of the commission.