Arizona republican., 1916-01-09
Newspapers and Transportation

bill introduced into the house by Representa- tive Adar Indiana, providing that bona fide con tracts may be entered into between newspapers and railroad companies under which the former may ex- change advertising for transportation would awakened interest, if not enthusiasm, years Now, believe will have the support only newspapers whose advertising space valuable. We think that the large newspapers will regard with indifference if with disfavor we feel very that the railroads will a lobby at Washington in it's behalf.
 When the interstate commerce commission was created nearly thirty years ago there a time interruption of the pleasant relations existed between many newspapers and the railroads but they were soon restored something of a business basis a time. There was some pre- tense of equalization of favors. gradually they drifted a careless relationship maintained until the Hepburn law enacted in 1906. That effectualy broke up the pass transportation business.
 Most of the roads adopted the policy of paying cash advertising charging the news papers cash for transportation and they have o the advantage of themselves and the newspapers. Other roads have maintained the prac- tce of issuing transportation, within limits against advertising contracts but such transactions have been regarded cash transactions Nothing has been carelessly given Newspapers given credit for advertising and every ticket was charged against it much paid on account. when the credit was exhausted the account sdered closed.
 Such railroads did not indulge in wastefuI or unnecessary advertising, we cannot say that the newspapers did not transportation than they would have done if they had obliged pay cash for it. Human nature s human nature and $50 worth of transportation does look nearly as big $50 bill.
 Thus, on account of human nature a newspaper gets the worst of any such exchange arrangement, but even under the modified arrangement following; the enactment of the Hepburn law the newspapers were better off than they the old days when they held passes could get transportation they wanted for the asking Then they were tempted into much unnecessary travelling and any one who has had experience knows that in unneces- travelling travelling pleasure railroad fare is the least of his expenses transportation en- courages not only unnecessary travelling to unnecessary and unusual expenditures. One in the possession of s00 worth transportation which has cost him nothing feels that $1OO in real money must be spent somehow that he apt to waste it and great deal more in rotous living while abroad.
 Newspapers from the days of Ben Franklin and perhaps, from much earlier period, have been ex- changing subscriptions and advertising wood coal, potatoes and all sorts of commodities and ser vices Now they not unnaturaly feel in prin- eipe, the law infringement upon the old privilege of barter and trade. we think that all the better newspapers well as the railroads are willing to let the antique principle go overboard and that they regard the regulation now stands as beneficial both.
 That prohibtory clause the Hepburn law was not directly for their benefit but to break up what had come to be regarded unhoy alliances between members of the and the railroads and at this distance, can that those alliances did neither the press nor the railroads any good Between them they succeeded only in storing up the wrath of the people which broke later, working injustice upon the roads in the way of extreme regulatory restrict i've legislation and the press yet some degree under the odium and suspicion which only a con- paratively few of it's members were responsible