Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1863-02-05
From the N. Y. Evening Post.
rhe PaDer Denlera' Com HIN m tlon.

The communication in your paper of Jan. 81 ,
headed " Meeting of Paper Manufacturer" Is
worthy OF the closest attention. am aston
Ished at the GOODNESS of these gentlemen OF the
combination. Their arguments may be, and
perhaps are, very good and satisfactory to
them; but they will not answer; nor will they
satisfy us, whom they so much wish to bring
under the monopoly.
Now, the Book Publisher Association and
newspaper proprietors can also show a list of
names who think contrary TO these gentlemen
Suppose we look into some of the arguments
used. They say the consumption Of cotton
goods has been much reduced, and consequent
ly the supply Of rags; but the fact Is that nine
tenths of all the rags have always come from
the South and West, and up to the present
time, the consumption of cotton goods has not
diminished. "What will be the supply and
consumption In the future, we do not now
say" Last October, the cotton mills bought
large quantities Of white rags for making over
into cotton fabrics. The experiment proved a
failure and n loss, and was abandoned, and so
now the rags again go to the paper-mAkeT.
They also say that rags have risen In price in
consequence Of deprecated currency. This
we all know 10 not 80; for "greenbacks" will
buy any day all the rags In the country at the
lowest market prices. Deprecated currency
Is not known among this class of people as
yet. ''"'
They say that many mills are now under
large contracts at old prices. This we deny IN
toto, and II they were II would not affect to any
| great extent the amount daily required.
As regards bleaching powders, soda ash, felt,
ing, and other important articles used by them,
they have always fnctuated, and are not now
higher than the general average. The argu.
ments used by the cotton manufacturers will
not apply to the paper manufacturers. The one
uses the raw cotton, the other the rag. We all
know that cotton Is not to be had In the uuan,
titles of two years ago; but rage are made every
day, and will continue TO be made from cotton
that was purchased years ago.
Up to the present time the consumption il
going on the same as usual. The man who
gathers the rags knows nothing of the scarcity
Of cotton. In his travels he finds as many rags
as usual, hut he knows that the combination
have done their full share in putting up thu
price of rags by endeayorng TO monopolzI
this important product. The advance In pape
has, in very great measure, been brough
about by this combination; that paper SHOULD
advance, may be- but, when II rises from tel
TO twenty-four cents In three months, we sa,
1t is entirely unwarrantahle, and no advance
In trade or In the raw material will warTan
II. We, therefore, take the ground TIM
the argument used by the paper combination
Is false In principle, and, therefore, wron!
! in practicej and We strongly advocate, a
our only hope TO free US from this monopoly
| hhu iup'oA VI NhS huAlNh hu paper ana rags, AM
at the same time suggest 10 the combination
reconsideration of their dOings, as they hay
assumed a scale of charges and a positl6
towards their customers that is particularly Oh
noxlous, and tho result will be, one or the othe
must give way. IfCOngress, In It's wise Iudg
ment, will Withdraw the duty on foreign paper
it win enable the publishers TO continue to dll
: seminate knowledge TO the great people.
not, many publishers will be obliged to stoE
Books and papers will then no longer be With
the reach Of all; the papermaker will grow ric
and aTlstocratic, and the masses Of the peopl
will grow Ignorant and degraded.
The above are facts. call this paper con
I bination monopoly of the blacklist kind.
say, educate the people. The greater IL
knowledge, the greater the desire for liberty
e Therefore, open our ports free for foregA papi
and rags, and give our people all and every Of
. pOrtunity for knowledge. Cheap paper an
3 cheap books only will do il. These are tint
when we most require the freest press, FRI
3 church, free speech, free government; Chea
paper Is what We all want, and no monopoli
I or combinations to the advantage of a few an
the ruin of the many.
. AUTHORIZATION