Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-24
DESIRED BY EDITORS
The Right to Exchange Adver-
Using for Transportation.
BILLS BEFORE CONGRESS
Small Prospect of Action in the Pres
emit Session.
CONSTITUTING THE RATE LAW
Interstate Commission Holds That
Railways Cannot Give
Passes for Space.
BILLS BEFORE CONGRESS
CONSTITUTING THE RATE LAW
BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS,

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Written for The Star ,. and the Chicago Record
A brilliant galaxy of newspaper planets
and fixed stars have been Illuminating
Washington for a week. Two committees
from the National Editorial Association,
representing 10000 daily and weekly news
papers, have been here looking after legis-
lation affecting their interests and preroga-
tives and are accompanied by representa-
tives of various state and district newspa-
per associations.
The committee on postal affairs consists
OF B. B. Herbert, National Printer Journal
ist, chicago; A. w. Glessner, the Galena
Gazette; A. w. Lee, the Ottumwa Courier;
George C. Woodruff the Lichfield Comm
Enquirer, and George c. Fairbanks, the
Natick CMass.) Review.
Ihe committee on transportation is E. w
Stevens, the Columbia (Mo.) Herald; w. E.
Parrot. the Waterloo Qowa) Reporter; r.
H. Henry. the Clarion Register, Jackson,
Miss; R: M. White. the Mexico (Mo.) Ledg-
er. and H. A. Knapp, the Auburn On "
Advertiser.
These gentlemen have been ACCOMPANIED
by Mr. j. E. Junkin. the Stirling (Kan)
Bulletin. president Of the National Editorial
Association. and W. A. Ashbrook, the
Jamestown (Ohio) News, who has recently
been elected to Congress. These gentlemen
are ex officio members of both committees
The party has been received by the Presi-
dent of the United States, who is perhaps
the most voluminous contributor to the pub
lie press in the country; they have had
conference with Speaker Cannon; they have
had interviews with Chairman Penrose of
the Senate and Chairman Overstreet of the
House post office committees. and have
cautioned those gentlemen against making
any increase In postal rates newspapers.
Transportation for Advertising.
They have also had hearin.; before
Chairman Hepburn of the interstate COM
merce committee in support of bill to
amend the new law so as to authorize rail-
| way companies to make contracts with
newspapers for advertising space and pay
for the same in transportation. Such an
amendment has been offered in the Senate
by Mr.. Stone of Missouri and in the House
by Mr.. Garrett of Tennessee This legisla-
ton is made necessary by a decision of the
interstate commerce commission. The Edi-
torial Association takes the ground that
newspaper and a railroad have a perfect
right to enter into contract under which
advertising space may be accepted for
transportation, but the commission saws
that such an arrangement Is violation of
the law. 1t has always been customary for
railway companies to insert advertisements
and timetables in newspapers and to fur
nsh the publisher and his family a corre-
spending amount of mileage tickets or
passes. This practice has been stopped. It
is forbidden by the new rate la VI, The Edi-
torafal Association has asked Modification
of that act providing that it shall not be
construed to prohibit newspapers maya
zines and other publications admitted to
the mails as second-class matter, from en-
tering into legitimate and bona fide adver-
Using contracts with common carriers at
their usual and customary rates Of adver-
Using and receiving payment for such ad-
vertising from such common carriers in
ira nSDOrtatiOp the lines thereof. SIlch
transportation to be issued to such pub
fishers at the regular published rates an
nounced to the public by such common car
| riers the rates for transportation"
Mr.. CARROTS bill also provides that the
new rate law shall not be construed to
prohibit the interchange of passes for the
carriers and their families; nor to pro-
hibt any common carrier from carrying
passengers free with the object Of provid-
ing relief in cases of epidemics, pestlence
and other calamitous visitations.''
View of the Commission.
The joint committees had spicy. inter-
view with Chairman Knapp and Messrs
Clements, Prouty and Clark Of the inter-
state commerce commission concerning
their recent decisions against newspaper
passes and advertising transportation. Mr.
Knapp Of Auburn, Mr.. Ashbrook, Mr..
Glessner, Mr. Junkin and other eminent
journalists, expressed their views and made
inquiries to draw out the opinions of the
commissioners, in which they were emf
nently successful. Chairman Knapp ex-
planned that the commission had no discre-
ton; that 1t has no authority to say what
the railroads or newspapers may do. The
act Of Congress in question forbids in most
comprehensive, explicit and unqualified
! terms, he said 1.-The transportation Of per-
sons and property by any railway subject
to the provisions of the law, except in ac-
cordance with the precise terms of the
tariff which has been filed for that pur-
pose. 1t is penal offense to do otherwise
Every tariff provides for the payment of
charges in money and no railroad can ac-
/, cept advertising or any other form of COM
pensation except money"
Commissioner Clements supported the
opinion of the chairman, and said "Un-
doubleday every newspaper man present be-
lieves in the principle of this law which
condemns unjust discrimination; and how
Is 1t possible to avoid inequalities and in
justice in selling transportation when you
use all sorts of standards such as adver-
Using, cotton, coal, cross-ties or any other
commodity which a railroad may have oc-
casion to buy. The rates are published
in dollars and cents, and the law under
takes to meet every obligation by the prin-
ciple of equity, justice. fairness and equal
treatment to everybody. How can that be
done except by a uniform standard. such as
dollars and cents? Here is a published
rate for so many dollars and so many
cents for freight and passenger service
transportation between two points--and IL
one man can come in and pay that amount
In certain space in newspaper, another
in cross-ties. another in coal and fix their
own prices, you might as we'll have no law"
Commissioner Clark expressed a similar
opinion. He called attention to the fact
that the railroads had been prohibited
from paying for legal services. as well as
for advertising, in transportation. Attor-
neys at local stations along the line of
road. who heretofore have been paid for
their services in transportation, can no
longer receive passes. They must render
their accounts for their services In cash
and must pay their fare in cash.
The commissioners advised the editors
to apply to Congress and, have stated
they have already done SO.
Chairman Knapp's Opinion.
In further explanation of the decision of
the commission Chairman Knapp said yes
terday Nothing but money can be
lawfully accepted in payment for
transportation. whether for passengers
or Of property. or for any service in con-
nection Herewith. The provisions of the
act relative to free transportation apply
not only to persons who are actually in the
service of the railways and devote substan-
TALLY all of their time to their work or
business. Land and immigration agents,
unless they are actYal euon]ovos ropraoopfa