The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1915-11-12
RAILWAYS AND THE PUBLIC

Probably the railroads are beln
mistreated in the matter of mail pay
The mail is weighed once in fou
years, and the pay for the followini
four-year period is based on the dat
collected then. In the past two year
there has been an enormous increas
in tonnage due to the parcels pos
business, and the treasury department
has transferred much of its business
from the express companies to the
postoffice department, but the rail
ways have not had any increase in pay
They naturally expected some increase
in the weights carried, due to norma
development of the country but they
did not expect and should not have tc
carry free the extra tonnage produced
by radical changes of policy of the
postoffice department
The railroads have protested loud
ly against the unfair treatment they
have had, and the testimonies of gov
eminent investigators and members of
the Interstate Commerce Commission
seem to show they have grounds for
complaint. The newspapers have been
called upon to help in educating the
public to the governments obligations
to the railroads. and conditions have
been made public in almost all parts
of the country. At least, the matter
has been given about as much space as
it's news value would justify.
Suppose we admit that the railroads
have been mistreated, that they want
only square deal. that they are en-
titled to that, and that the public must
be informed of conditions in order
that designing politicians may not
make false showings of savings or
expansion by acts or practices that are
morally fraudulent, whether legal or
not 1t is clear that the most difficult
and expensive task involved is that OF
Informing and convincing the people,
Why should wthe newspapers be ex-
pected to stand that?
The American Telegraph C Tele-
graph company, and its associated To-
cal concerns have, for number OF
years, used with success and mutual
profit to themselves and the public,
display advertising as a medium for
the public with regard to |
the services they render, the expenses |
that they must meet, and the obliga-
lions Of the public to public service
The Chicago surface lines
are now running in the daily papers
space ads showing by pictures how
trucks and wagons in the tracks inter
fere with traffic, and by tables and
diagrams how much time is lost by
on surface lines be-
cause the city's committee on traffic
1oes not regulate it effectively. That
matters of interest and financial con-
Germ to the public and public service
may safely be discussed
n the open by the parties involved,
las been proved.
Merchants and manufacturers made
advertising what it is-one of civiliza-
ions most efficient agents in further
ng its own ends. They have reduced
he ethics of advertising to telling the
ruth, so that now even doctors may
dvertise CT they tell the TRUTH and
etain their own and the public re-
pect. Education advertises itself in
be newspapers, the churches adver-
se in the newspapers, candidates for
flee advertise, government depart !
rents advertise, all with the purpose {
{ furthering the mutual interests OF
1emselves and the readers Of adver- 5
sements.
The fallacy that advertising tends
increase the cost Of living is almost Y
thing of the past. Almost every q
,dy seems to be able to see that 1t Y
a short cut to bigger business, more
telligent action, reduced expenses, Il
ID the other fruits OF direct methods h
ID close cooperation. b
The matter q railway pay Is an at a