The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-11-03
JOHN REDMOND'S LETTER
NOT KNOWN TO THE RAILROAD
COMMISSION BEFORE
TT WAS SENT.

Commissioner Jackson Makes State
ment and Also Says Commission
Has Made No Ruling on Exchange
OF Mileages For Advertising
0nd Hearing mt State House.
There was another hearing before
the Railroad Committee of the Legis-
lature after adjournment Tuesday
morning on the bill to permit the ex-
change of railroad mileages for news
paper advertising.
S. Hollister Jackson of Barre.
member of the Public Service COM
mission appeared to defend the COM
mission. He admitted early in his
remarks that the letter from John
w. Redmond, chairman of the COM
mission, which was taken up at the
hearing before the committee last
week, was not known to the commits
sion until after it had been written
and sent out.
Commissioner Jackson also said the
commission had never made any rul-
ing that would prohibit the inter-
change of advertising and mileages.
His entire argument was in support
of the federal law and the ruling of
the Interstate Commerce Commission.
! But when his attention was called
to the statement in the letter of chair
man Redmond, eve have ruled" he
said the commission had talked the
matter over and had come to an
agreedment of opinion That is,
Commissioner Jackson admitted what
was charged at last weeks hearing,
that Mr.. Redmond, in the letter he
sent to Mr.. Chaffee, chairman of the
committee, was expressing his own
opinions and not those of the commits
sion.
! F. e. Langley. publisher of the Barre
Times, and former printing commits
sioner, opposed the bill. because he
preferred to do business on cash
basis.
c. A. G.. Jackson explained that the
newspapers were making no attack
on the Public Service Commission ::
. because
members of the commission had
passes and there could be no question
raised by the railroads whether they
were travelling on public or private
business, and said that when it was
proposed that the pass privilege be
papers opposed it and said it was too
petty matter for them to engage
! Mr.. Langley and Commissioner
Jackson had argued that the rail-
roads saw in the ruling of the COM
mission chance to save some eX-
pense and that they were glad to cut
off the advertising. Then, said Mr.
/ Jackson (be careful to observe the
distinction between the Commission
err and Mr.. if the restor-
alton of the old privilege of exchange
will it not restore the old exchange
between the railroads and the news
papers, no har mean be done and the
situation will not be changed
Commissioner Jackson admitted
the main objection to the bill was that
it opened an opportunity to substitute
the press. He could not show how
substituting could result from the in
terchange of commodities of known
and fixed value. His attention was
called to the provisions of the bill
which provides that the exchange
shall be made on the basis of the pub
lished card rates of the newspapers.
His argument was that the rail-
roads would use more than the ac-
customed space. But when asked
whether under the old conditions the
railroads used more space than would
naturally be expected he could not
say that they did,
r. w. McCEen, member from Yer
gennes publisher of the Vergennes
Enterprise, closed the hearing in a
strong argument for the bill