The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1865-01-25
THE PAPER MONOPOLY.
Memorial OF the Ohie PubItyH=
er's CODventiFn.

tn" Memorial to Congress, prepared ! .
the Committee ofthe Ohio Publisher Cor.
ventlon on behalf Of that body, is as fol
lows:
At Convention of the publishers q
weekly newspapers in Ohio, held at Colunl-
bus, January 4th, 1865 the undersigned were
appointed a committee to memorabilia Con
gress respecting the tariff on printing paper,
and to petition the Ohio Legislature TO re-
quest our Senators and Representatives il
Congress to give their influence snd their
votes for the repeal of that tariff. -1
1otir petitioners would therefore, re-
spectiull5 represent, that official reports
show that while said tariff yields no revenue
to the Government, it enables American pa
per manufacturers to enter into combinations
by which the price of news print is advanc-
ed above rates which afford reasonable pro-
tit, without corresponding advantage to the
laborers employed, but greatly to the embar-
rassnent of publishers who are compelled
SO much to enhance the subscription price
OF their journals, as to largely curtail their
circulation, ....- . q ss
Newspaper readers are required 10 ray
premium to paper manufacturers, because
the tariff protects them in monopoly.
by that, tariff tax is imposed Upon
knowledge for the benefit Of capitalists who
combine to crush every manufacturer wLn
will not unite with them, when they a1vaffce
prices.
Government being itself large consumer
ofraper, is compelled to pay manufacturers
heavy premium over a just and liberal pros
fit, because of a tariff which yields no reve-
rite; ID.
Ii publishers i,itreascd their subscription
rates to correspond with the price of paper,
daily papers would cost Twenty Dollars
year and weeklies not less than Five DOL
lars. 4h
The general advance, on subscription
goes now, not into profits of publishers, but
OF those of paper manufacturers. Rags are
as dear in Europe as in America; yet better
paper can be bought in England at nine cts
perpOund than the common American news
print which costs twenty five cents per pound
at the mills; NM
If the import duty on printing paper were
removed, at the present premium on gold.
it could be bought in New York for eign-
teen cents per pound. ai1d manufacturers at
the West could sell at sixteen with fair
revenue. ..t -s
Manufacturers maintain ezorbitant prizes q
based on the rates of foreign exchange, be-
NduGC ii any lHtiSHdIb paper
they can afford to undcrsell him
The foregoing propositions are derived
from careful inquiries by experienced pub
fishers. They are conclusive III the judg4
ment of the Convention we represent, that
the present duty upon imported paper, in
practical effect, under authority of Govern
ment, imposes grievous burden upon the
great body of the people for the direct Pc
cuniary advantage of few; interfering with
the diffusion of knowledge, abridging facili.
ties for the general circulation of news, and
checking enterprise for the dissemination Of
special or technical information. ..i.s!
Other considerations might be urged werd
it not the object of the Publishers Conven.
tion to represent the unanimous conviction
of the members thereof that in justice to.
newspapers and their readers the tariff OH
paper ought to be removed, rather than to
argue the grounds upon which that convio-
ton is based.
Trusting that the whole subject will early
be given your earnest attention, we have
the honor to be, ..
Very respectfully,
WIN. t ,CHddrsnAtL,
- SfrhQfcld Rtp,tbhc;.
IHos. HoDDER,
s. Mer7on Mirror;
AMOS LAYMoN,
Ohio Statesman,
Committee Ohio Publishers Coaueatien,