, 1865-01-19
FROM WASHINGTON.

FROM WASHINGTON. |
The Paper Duty Question in Con-
grcSS.
C.use Theftof--Posltloa Of the Western
Members On tho Qncstiea--Mo Duty
Keeded---What will Happen II
the Repeal he Defeated--
Mtlk in the Her
AIDS Cocoa nut.
Editorial Correspondence Of the Chicago Til
bsne.I
WASHINGTON. b. O., Jan. Is, 1866.
I am In receipt Of d large number Of letters
from editors Of Western papers inquiring ~
to tho prospect Of 3 repeal of the duty on
printing paper during this session Of Con-
gress. In order to avoid the labor of writing
reply to each ono separately, prefer to
avail myself Of an editors privilege and an
swer them collectively, through the columns
Of tho TRIBUNE.
In the fsst place, the prospect of getting
the duty greatly reduced, if not entirely re-
rcaled, u good. So far as known, every
Western member Of either party, in the SEN
ate a. we'll "a Houso, Intends to vote for the
reduction or the abrogation Of the impost OH
printing paper.
There may be some western members who
will oppose 1t, but they arc not known at
this time. 1 think If the vote were taken TO-
6av thA }o+{ rf o11 fha "nafnrt1
States would cast solid vote for tho rcnis-
sion Of the duty on imported sprint" But
this unantmity ceases with the Western mcm
bers. When you cross the mountains you strike
section Of country where the controlling
classes are badly afflicted with high tariff on
the brain, and their influence is powerfully
felt In Congress. Some Of the Eastern mem.
bers admit the injustice Of the present tax on
knowledge and promise TO vote for the re-
peal Of the duty, but they arc greatly embar
lassed by the late action Of the leading pa
pcrs Of the sca-board cities-cspccially New
| tern publishers." And d word in cxplana.
| tion Of this retrogrndc movement may be not
I out Of place in this connection.
On TIC 29th Of November, 1864, tho Board
met At Dayton, Ohio, for the purpose Of con-
| sulting with reference to an appeal to Con-
rress in favor Of abolishins the duty on
! imported news Sprint" After full delih-
Grafton q memorial was framed and unani.
! mous1y adopted, lnd committee appointed
to bring It to the attention OF congrcssmcn.
a circular letter was also drawn up and sign
ed By the Board OF Directors, and sent, TO-
gether with copies of the memorial, to all the
publishers in the United States whose names
were In the possession OF the committee.
The circular invited them to cooperate with
| ~. - kali oF AF
fort for repeal, and pointed out the cause Of
the then excessive price charged for news
print, which was 60 to IS cents per pound in
The Western States for "rag paper" and "A
TO q for half-straw paper. The clscular aud
memorial set forth the cause Of those Gxor-
ern mills to charge not what they
can afford 10 sell for, hut for what
it would cost publishers to import paper
. from abroad, and pay The 20 per cent gold
duty which the law exacts. Paper last snln-
domestic article, could be laid down il New
/ York for 1Sto 70 cents per pound m currency
but when the 20 per cent tariff, payable in
gold, canlc to be added, the difference be-
tween the cost and the combination prices
port, especially US It was In the power OF the
+ nonopolists, by abating part Of their
: enormous profits to undcrscll them. It was
; | also shown that the Government had no in
tcrest In continuing the % per cent gold duty,
as it derives no income theretfom, because nq
!, enabled to tx their prices just at that figure
!. which excludes importation, and yet gobblcs
l the 20 per cent gold duty. The Government
f Is MI Immense consumer ol paper. Du1inse
+ the past eight months 1t has lost more than 6
=. million dol!nrs in consequence Of the dut,
> which ii has been Obliged to pay. The pres
! cnt Law actually taxes the Government 20 pel
: cent in gold en- The paper 1t consumes.
5 "The p1ofcssed and legitimate object Of !
r tax, in The present condition Of the country
4 is to bring money into the Treasury to dcfra]
= public expenses and support the Government
8 1fla1d for any other purpose. It becomes
= nuisance. A tax that produces no revenue
a md operates to increase the price OF an LIN
= rortant article Of general consumption, !
= simply "a piece Of wanton legislative cruelty
c ernmcnt at the expense Of the community
;. The impost on imported printing paper is Q
= this description, though It WIGS doubtless lai'
. in the expectation Of the Western member
that it would produce considerable income t.
{ the Treasury. But it brings nothing; It is
4 has made t'print'' artidcially, unnntural,y
n wrongfully dear. They therefore respectful
| ask Congress to remove needless, revenue
!: less duty, which imperils their business exist
I cncc, intiete injury On the whole reading pull
o uhiclcan only be retained fer the purpose {
= enabling few to combine and practice CT
!. !: tortion On the many"
= . When the circular letter reached til
c,... NeM 1o'h publisher 1s.o,,.d they In ~
/ operate with, The Western publish
= .fs. They drew up q strong memorial t
= Congress setting forth substantially the cam
:. facts as were contained in that from the Wcs
J. ern Association, and asking thu eame relic
b with the addition Of the repeal Of the du,ie
% on chemicals and other articles that pape
:, makers are obliged to import. This reper
ID was signed by the publishers of ,fourtr
II New York dailies, ut the head Of which vi
~ n The New ToEk Rerald, Tribune and 7fnxs:
y ington, consisting Of Cor. Raymond, Of til
ut Times, and Erastus Brooks, Of the Etpres
70 to place the memorial Of the Nex IorS A.
D. sociated Press before Congress. Mr.. Brock
+. 70 nude one trip lither before ;her recess, on
: members on the subject.
et The new England publishers took sinils
le action, and numerously signed menoril
% praying for repeal of The itupost On l,rinttl
Ia IA papcr, which was laid on the desks Of men
he:s.
In this shape the matter stocd up till the tin
he OF the adjournment Of Congress for the hol
I'd days. One day during its recess received tc
id egfa1n from New Yoi k stating that screw u.
., ss loose, that ths New York publishers had hel
~ another meeting, and the majority had +
yoked their former action, and now resolve
J, 10 withdraw from the repeaA movement.
a. proceeded Immediately to Gotham to nsce
r. tain what was the occasion Of this sudde
H. change Of base, this stampede Of an impo
~ tant part Of the line. I could not irnaSii
" until had arrived in New York what it vi
nc that had caused this abrupt changs to ''cou
i'd oyer the epirit of their dFeams.n But #
liz not kept Tong In the dark.
-. It seems that the paper makcr6' combin
~ ton becoming alarmed ut the strength Of Il
OF fgltation for repeal and its apparent &C
tn tIinty Of success, al at once reduced Il
of price Of "print" from tWcnty-sfx or sevt
Ne cents ner pound to tweutyl found Il
," Herald, Tines, Tribune, World, Adnrtiser ut
Journal Of Commerce, we're being supplied vi
all the printing paper they could consume
rate Us low almost, as it could be importt
70 7cfth tAe duty off: while the price charged
nj tle publisher In the F." Provinces" /" Was stl
Id kent up to the old monopoly figures; !. {
O. what it would cost to import ''print" with II
=, \, duty on. The prcc!2Itctc retreat OF the le1
- | inc New York papers was now Faflsfactorl
- accounted for. do not know or assert th
he the paper makers' combination made form
1e proposals to the New York publishers tn
Is In case they backed out Of the repeal muy
H. H. ment, tho party Of the Grst part would su
nnn ne ply the party OF the second part with pri
ad paper at reduction Of SIX cents per pount
u Int ] do know that there is q striking coint
70 | dence in point of time When the New Y0l
'al papers sig gned the memorial about tue first
nc ne Decenber, they we're paying something Ill
IN twenty-six centB per pound for paper.
T | fortnight later they were stocked with abu
dorca nf " snrinf u At twenty cents, and b