The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1910-10-29
REoMoNp MADE A TARGET
Newspaper Ma Reser' His Action
on Mileage Bill.

meeting of the Vermont Press Assoc
iation was held Wednesday evening
in The senate chamber of the state
house. In The absence of II. l.. Hind
lev. the president, X. W. MeCuen, of
Vergennes, the vice-president pre-
sided. The call for the meeting was
read by Secretary II c. Whitehill OF
Waterbury. The report OF II. C..
Mhitehll, the treasurer, showed 500
ST On hand.
On motion of Frank Il. Howe the
chairman was instructed to appoint a
committee of three to bring in list
of officers to be acted upon at an ad-
iourned meeting TO be held at Millers
Inn later in the evening, The chair
man appointed II. c. Nhltehill, W. II.
Crockett, and w. ii. Gilpin.
A recess was then taken to low a
hearing on H. 6, which provides that
newspapers may exchange adyertls-
ing space for mileage.
Mr.. McCuen of Vergennes advocat-
ed the bill and explained its reason
able provisions
c. A G. jackson touched upon the
objections made to the bill by John
W. Redmond Of Newport chairman Of
the 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, para
graph by paragraph.
Col. j. G. Norton of st. Adams, call
ed the attention of committee to the
fact that in every state except Yer
mont through which the Grand
| Trunk railroad runs, II exchanges mi
! leages for advertising With the full
I sanction of the interstate commerce
I commission.
Editor w. II. Crockett, of Montpe.
lier, referred to the necessity of pub
/ fishing the time tables Of the rail
roads in the state and the newspap-
ers should be paid for publishing
these time tables Mr.. Redmond,
who has cast aspersions in this let
ter on the newspapers OF the state,
ought to be man enough to come here
and back up this letter that he has
surreptitiously sent to members of
the legislature. There is no niger
in the woodpile; there is no joker in
this bill
Senator Powell said that Mr. Red
mond was not present TO defend him
self and asked Mr. Crockett to point
out in what respect Mr. Redmond had
S andered the press in the letter in
question, and this Mr.. Crockett did
most effecmally,
Senator Powell again defended Mr..
Redmond and said he believed Mr..
Redmond thought the bill in question
is class legislation. If this is being
done in other states, why do the news
papers of Vermont take Mr. Red
mond's opinion. Why don't they bring
a test case and take it to the SUI
preme court.
II. +. Parker, of Bradford said If
he could understand the English Ian
guage Mr.. Redmond had cast asper-
sions on the newspaper men Of the
state and had in this letter question
ed their integrity and honesty He
was surprised that Mr. Redmond
should write such a narrow letter.
Mr.. Parker believed the proposition
embodied in this bill is fair and hon
orabe, and il was entirey outside
his duty for the chairman Of the pub
lice service commission 10 send sec
reilly TO members Of the legislature
such q letter as has been read II
was stab IN the dark that we ought
not to have expected from a promi-
nent state official.
In regard TO temptation" Mr.
Z Crockett intimated that the members
Of the public service commission
might be tempted to ride on their an
nual passes when on private business
which is forbidden by the present
railroad law, as will the newspaper
men be tempted to go in collision
with the railroad by exchanging ad
vertising for mileage
NJ c. Reynolds, of Essex Junction
pointed out that the exchange of mil,
age for advertising would greatly in
crease the business both of the news
papers and the railroads.
II. c. Whitehill, OF Waterbury, re
ferred TO the action of the legislator,
two years ago on a similar bill Tn,
commission was in favor Of the bill
but Mr.. Redmond got busy and b!
writing letters to members of The
house succeeded in defeating tht
| measure.
Senator Butler said he saw nothnl
in the statute that prohibits the rail
| road exchanging advertising 70
mileage and c. A. G.. Jackson reptile,
that It was not the statute but JOIN
| Redmonds dictum the newspaper
were opposing.
r. w. McCuen Of Vergennes, salt
Mr.. Redmond had characterized tn
bill under dlscussin as vicious" OF
the other hand It appeared to tn
speaker that Il is vicious for tn
public service commission to hit an
der the belt by sending such lette
/ secretly to members Of the legisla
i ture.
/ AT the adjourned meeting held a
| Miller's Inn the nominating commit
tee made its report and the following
| officers nominated were unanimousl
elected for the ensuing year. Pres
dent, r. w. McCuen OF Vergennes
secretary and treasurer, H. c. Whit
hill of Waterbury; vice.presidents
| o. r. Bennett, OF Manchester. W.
Bigelow OF st. Johnsbury. Frankli
| Fisher of Essex Junction, w. II. Bisi
op OF Island Pond II. ]. Tyler q
Enosburg Falls. l.. p. Thayer OF MOI
rlsyille, II. Il. Parker of Bradford