The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1863-02-20
History Of the Paper Haksrs' Asso-
ciati0n."

History Of the Paper Haksrs' Asso.
ciation.'
Below we give a short. but. We have rea
ison to believe. correct history of the organ
'ization which calls itselfthe"Paper Manufac
turers' Association of the United States.
This society objects to the title "combina a
ition" as applied to its acts: with what jus,ic,
those may say who read what follows.
About q wear ago the manufacturers o
fine writing paper met at Springfield, Mas
Isachusetts, and formed an association, which
determined that the price of writing paper
should be raised. and fixed the rates for the
future at not less than seventeen cents 70,
fiat cap and twenty-five cents for letter and
note paper. The prices ranged before from
thirteen to fourteen cents for the first and
from fifteen to twenty five for the last.
| This resolution worked SO well, and excl
ted SO little comment or opposition-the in
tsrests involved being comparatively small
that it seems to have occurred to the manu-
facturers Of printing paper to follow the ex-
ample thus set. Accordingly, 10 August
last. they called a convention. which me. at
the As.or II ,use in this city, aud formed
what is known as the Paper Mixers Asso-
cation of the United States. Al this time
there was no scarcity OF rags the price of
paper stock was moderate, and the price Of
paper WAS in proportion. At this first meet
ing, we are inf f,rmsd, romineut msnufac.
turer offered resolution. that all the mills
owucl by members be put at oncA on half
time. We can see but one object in such q
measu,e-.o create sudden aud artificial
scarcity of paper, which would enable paper
m akers to increase their prices, while at the
same time rags, being in less demand. would
prob tbly fall in price. Thus a double prof.
would be secured TO the msmbers of what
we will not call a "combiuatio1." This res
olu,ion was not carried. some members re-
fusin, their assent b.csuse they had con
tract, to fill which required them to work
on full time.
At the October meeting of the association
it was & ,ally determined 10 raise the price
of paper; ami we are informed that three
samples of printing paper were fiied as STAN
dards Of quality aud price. A resolution
was offered that no printing paper should be
sold at less than twelve and ahalf, sixteen
and eighteen cents. for the three qualities.
The wording OF this was changed. SO that it
became "recommendauou." The meeting
and that same afternoon the
price Of paper was raised. 50 that paper deal
ers in this city were unable to get orders
filed on that day. except at the advanced
prices.
As tn, paper makers object to the use of
the word ''combina.ion" we will not apply
it to this movem snt which we have Ist DIS.
cribsd. The public may use its own judg
msnt in the matter.
We recently stated that there was no
scarcity or rise in price of rags. either then
or to be reasonably apprehended. to excuse
this general rise in paper. But the news
of the action of the association was disclos
ed; it was telegraphed over the country the
next morning, and at once the rag dealers
East and West anticipated rise in the prics
of their commodity, refused to name the
rates at which they wouli sell; aud the mar.
ket thus tampered with, it is not strange
that rags at once rose to speculative prices.
At present and by the action ofthis asso
ciation-which we are very much tempted
to call "combination"-itis is probable that
most of the smaller paper mills in the coun-
try will stop work aud be crushed. This
of course only strengthens the wealthy mem
bers of the association, who will thus be rid
not only of foreign but Of home competition.
And this makes it the more necessary that
Congress should at once declare foreign pa
per free of duty-if not permanently, then
at least for certain period. say year.
Meantime monopolis.s are like pigs swim
ming; they cut their own throats. The
state Of things the association has brought
about, has revived many old inventions for
making paper out of other material than rags;
and there is a prospect by next June or July
We shall have supply of straw and wood
paper, of good qu .Iity and in sufficient quan-
ti,y TO fill the market aud bring down prices.
There is difficulty about the manufacture
OF straw paper. and that is the existence of
patents. Capitalists do not like
to "bring lawsuits We notice also that
the owners Of most of thu important straw
paper patents are members of the association.
B ut it is not proved that paper can be made
from wood; ard it is fact that straw and
wood paper can at this time be produced
by those who have the requisite mschinery,
at not to exceed eight cents per pound; but
this is sold in the market al from eighteen TO
twenty cents
The heavy boilers needed for preparing
pulp from straw and wood require time to
make, and workmen in iron are scarce Just
now. Blu. we understand that large NUN
Der of mills have ordered such boilers. and
,ha. in a few months the publ, may hope
to be indie pendent, with the help Of Congress.
of the Paper Makers Association OF the
United States"