The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-01-18
SHALL NEWSPAPER MEN HAVE.

me West Virginian heartily en-.
dorses the sentiment expressed In the
following letter from the Chief Of
Exploitation of the jamestown Expo.
sition, which is of unusual interest 70
newspaper men:
Recently this department took the
initiative in campaign. having for
its purpose the securing Of an amend.
ment to the new Interstate Commerce
Law. or Of q favoraple ruling by the
Interstate Commerce Commission, so
that railroads might be permitted to
pay for ADVERTISING with transporta-
tion, and the subject matter Of this
letter is an appeal to all newspapers
and newspaper men to use their per!
sonal influence. and the influence OF
their papers. with their Congressman
and Senators. to bring about the
change so much desired by those In
terested.
Since the adverse ruling Of the In.
terstate Commerce Commission, the
sentiment among newspaper men has
been that the ruling was unjust, and
that It infringed upon the right Of con.
tract. Since this department has TAX.
en- up the matter have received let.
tiers from almost every Press and Pub:
fishers Association In the United
States, and. without exception, 1 find
that newspaper men desire to restora.
ton of the old arrangement, and this
desire is based upon the best possible
reasons.
Being a practical newspaper man
myself. can appreciate how the edl-
tor at his desk feels In regard to the
Interstate Commerce Commissions
ruling, and in my position as Chief CT
Exploltatlon-being in touch with the
entire press of the copntry=-I believe
have a better understanding of the
drift of. sentiment than most people
interested In this matter. Sof course,
my immediate and special interest in
making this effort to restore old con.
ditions. IS the fact that I see what ef.
feet the new ruling is having upon
the Jamestown Exposition, and will
have upon MI expeditions held in >fu-
ture. Great expositions are interna.
tional and world institutions more
than they are private or local enter
prises. and as All intelligent people
acknowledge the effect for good, edu.
cationally and industrially. that ex-
positions have had, It seems to me to
be of vital interest to the people in
general that the inhibition against
the manner Of q railroad making pay
ment for advertising contracts be re.
moved.
Expeditions are dependent for their
success upon the generosity and ser.
vices of newspapers for exploitation.
IT is the newspaper that. tells the PEG.
pie what expositions are to be, and
through the medium Of their news col.
umns people are induced to visit
them. II the people visit the EXPOSE
tipns, they must be brought by the
railroads. The newspaper man has
space to sen; the railroad has trans.
3 portation to sen. The newspaper man
r O. =
wants transportation; the railroad
wants Advertising. II the railroad is
willing TO trade IT'S transportation for
newspaper space. and the newspaper
IS willing to trade its space for trans
portation, 1t would seem only Just that
they be permitted to write their CON
tract without the interference of Al
law which appears to weIl.informed
men to be an infringement of the
right Of contract. which Is one OF the
fundamental principles Of liberty and
law.
This department is not taking the
attitude of sitting as a High Court
upon this question, but simply stating
the case as It appears to me after