The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1910-11-03
payment should be made in money
proceeds from an erroneous view.
Money Represents Commodity


only the representative of one thing
one commodity, bartered for another
commodity. If the value OF the COM
modities exchanged Is known, pub
licly known, and fixed there is no
opportunity for discrimination un-
less the railroad should be willing to
pay an excessive price. and if Il
should choose it could do that in
money as easily as in mileage books.
That is, If the railroads should de-
sire to influence or corrupt the news
papers of the State they could do 1t
as easily in cash as in transporta-
ton.
IS. The proposed legislation is I'M
just because it is unwarranted class
| legislation. Why should the news
| paper men have the right to pay for
his transportation in the product he
sells. or to sell the product OF his la
Dor for mileages, when the CORES
ponding right is denied the farmer or
the merchant? Why should not the
farmer likewise have the right 70
sell ties and telegraph poles and
gravel for mileages, thus stimulating
the market for his product etc.
Not Open to Charge.
1t may be difficult to remove this
bill from the appearance and impu-
tation of trying to secure class legis-
lation, but in fact it is not open to
that charge The farmer does not need
the right to such an exchange to
stimulate the market for his project
The railroads need ties and gravel,
and when they are needed will buy
them. The market for those articles
and for other things required for the
maintenance of railroads is not res
tricted by any ruling of the Public
Service Commission. But the rail-
roads can be operated without using
the advertising columns Of the news
papers. and so this bill seeks to
have restored the privilege or right
that existed prior to the making Of
this ruling, and which perhaps might
be found still tc exist. if there Were
any way of securing a judicial deter
Newspapers Differently Placed.
The newspapers are differently
placed than the producers of any
other commodity but they should not
in fairness be accused OF seeking class
legislation because they are in sense
public institutions as much as the rail-
roads, being the medium through
which all important information must
reach the people.
The plain fact is that. in attempting
tons chartered by the State the
Public Service Commission is under
taking to regulate the conduct of
newspapers over which it has 10
proper authority.
II The intent of the existing law Is.
portunity for discrimination. or secret
and unjust favoritism. This bill GER
tainly gives that opportunity; and :
without in the least rejecting on the
press of this State, for | yield to no
man in my regard for it. and its worth
the community which, more than any
other. should be deprived of oppor-
tunity or temptation TO become obi
yated to the railroads or other public
service concerns it is the press. 1t
would be Infinitely less harmful to al
low farmers or merchants to sell
their products for mileages than to
allow that right to the press, and this
for obvious reasons"
Trained Mind OF Lawyer.
1t requires the trained mind of a
lawyer to understand how the right
to do business. Wien the consider
alton on each side is something of
fixed and determined value, as in the
case of newspaper advertising and
railroad mileage, can afford an oppof'-
tunity for discrimination or secret
and unjust favoritism. If the demand
were for the issuance of passes to
the newspapers the case would be diff
ferent, for then there would be no
easy means of determining the value
of the compensation paid by the rail
roads.
But in this case nothing is asked
but an opportunity to do business,
and that on terms as definitely known
as ii the payment by the roads were
to be in actual money. No attention
need be paid TO the slur on the
that they more than
any other class need TO be preserved
from temptation, because no tempta-
ton or opportunity for temptation,
discrimination or favoritism is asked
for in the bill about which Hr. Red
mond writes.
Ruling Takes Away ii Right.
20 Moreover, why is this special
privilege sought"
Because the ruling of the com7
mission has taken away what once
existed as a matter of common and
unquestioned right.
1T will be claimed, or at least not
disputed, that in a sense mileages
are money; that If newspaper man
gets 500 worth of mileages he can
step to the nearest broker and cash
that mileage for its full face value;
and it is equally obvious that If the