Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1910-10-27
Newspaper Men Criticize Commits
sioner's Tactics in Fighting
Mileage Bill.
IT is A STAB IN The DARK
Course He Has Taken Unworthy
Of State Official -- Association
Elects Officers at Annual
Meeting.

----
Montpelier. oct 26,-The annual meet
Ing Of the Vermont Press association WAS
held this evening In the SoruR chaAnn":
AZ the State House In The absence cf II.
l.. llindley the president. II. w. NcCuen
Of Ne:scnnes. the vice-prosidont. pre-
sided The call for the meeting was read
by Secretary II. e. Whitehiil of Water
bury. The report OF II. G. Whiteh'll, the
treasurer showed $55.sl on hand.
on motion Of Frank r. Howe the chair
man was Instructed to appoint commit
tee of three to bring in list or officers
to be acted upon at an adjourned meet
Ing to be held at Millcrs Inn later In the
evening The chairman appointed II. e.
Whitehill. w. n. Crockett and w. H. GIL
pin.
) recess was then taken to allow a
hearing on House bill which provides
that newspapers may exchange adverti9-
ing space for mileage.
Mr.. McCuen Of Vergennes advocated the
bill and explained Its reasonable provis-
ins.
g. a G.. Jackson touched upon the ob-
iections made to the hill by John ".
public service commission. In a letter sent
several members of the Legislature. Mr..
Jackson read this letter written by Mr..
Redmond and most effectively answered
It. paragraph by paragraph
WORKS EvERYwHERE BIT HERE.
Col. J. q. Norton of St. Adams called
the attention OF committee to the fat
that in every state except Nerm Dnt,
through which the Grand Trunk rail
road runs, IL exchanges mileages for
advertising with the fun sanction Of
the Interstate Commerce commission.
| Editor W. II. Crockett of Montpelier
| referred to the necessity Of publishing
the time tables Of the railroads in the
State and the newspapers should lie
paid for publishing these time tables.
Mr. Redmond, who has cast asperi"rs
| IN this letter on tho newspapers OF 'he
state, ought to be man enough to como
here tonight and back up this letter
! that he has surreptitiously sent to
members of the Legislature. There Is
no nigCer in the woodplle; there is no
| joker in this bill.
POWELL. DEFENDS REDMOND.
Senator Powell stated that Mr.. Red
,nond was not present to defend him
self and asked MI Crockett To point
out in what respect Mr.. Redmond had
slandered the press in the letter N
question and this Mr.. Crockett did
most erfectually.
Senator Powell again defended MT He1-
mond and said he believed NJ. Redmond
thought the bill in question l. class
legislation. II this is being done in other
States, why do the newspapers or YER
mont take MIR. Redmond's opinion. why
don't they bling test case ana take II
to the supreme court.
H. T.. Parker ~ Bradford said II he
could understand the English language
Mr. Redmond had cast aspersons on
the newspaper men Of the state and had
in this letter questioned their integrity
and honesty He was surprised that Mr
Redmond should write such narrow
letter Nj. Parker believed the PROPOSE
lion embodied In this oil is fair and
honorable, and il was entirely outside his
duty for the chairman of the public ser
vice commission TO send secretly to mem
her. Of the Legislature such n letter as
has been read here tonight. II was q
stab in the dark that we ought rot tc
have expected 1t from a prominent State
Official.
SPEAKING OF TEMPTATION"
In regard to temptation" Mr. Crockett
!ntima ted that the members ~ the public
service commission might he tempted tc
ride on their annual passes when or
prjyate business, which is forbidden by
,he present railroad law, 40 will the news
paper men be tempted TO get in col'usloi
with the railroad by exchanging ad
vertising for mileage.
| NJ g Reynolds of Essex Junctio,
pointed out that tho exchange OF mileaG'
for advertising would greatly increase
the business both Of tho newspapers an'
the railroads,
II &. Whitehill ~ Waterbury referred
10 the action of the legislature two year
k~go on n similar bill, The commission
was IN favor of the bill but Mr. Red
mond got busy and by writing letters
to members of the House succeeded II
defeating the measure.
| Senator Butler said he saw nothing II
the statute that prohibits the railroa'
exchanging advertising for mileage an(
c. A. q. Jackson replied that it was no
the statute but John Redmonds dictun
, the newspapers were opposing
r. W. McCuen of Nergennes said Mi
Redmond had charac terized the bill unde
discussion az "vicious." on the othe
hand II appeared to the speaker that
is vicious for the chairman of the publi
service commission to hit under the bel
by sending such letter secretly to mem
hers OF Legislature.
OFFICERS ELECTED,
At the adjourned meeting held at Mil
, ler's Inn the nominating committee made
It's report and the following officer
nominated we're unanimously elected fo
the ensuing year: President, r. w. Nc
Cu.n of Vergennes; secretary and treas
: urer, II. c. Whitehill of Waterbury
vice pre- side nts, o. r, Bennett of Man
Al chester, W. j. Biaelow of st. Johnsbury
= Franklin FISHER of Essex Junction. W
H. Bishop of Island Pond, T., j. Tyle
, of Enoshurg Falls, l.. p. Thayer o
Morrhvllle, H. f. Parkar Of Bradford