The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-03-18
THE PAPER MANUFACTURERS RING.
The Congressional Aid They Get-SOme Sugges
tive Hints to the Hon. Warner Miller-HOW
the Ring Can Be Broken Without Changing
the Tariff on Paper.

The Congressional Aid They Get-SOme Sugges.
tive Hints to the Hon. Warner MIlIer-HOW
the Ring Can Be Broken Without Changing
the Tariff on Paper.
Two things have conspired to put up the price
Of paper One is the combination Of fmanufactur.
ers. We have the most direct and positive proof
that the exact prices to be asked from month
to month for the white newspaper is determined
In Joint conclaVe by the American Paper makers
Association" and conformity thereto enforced
among all its members. The product of the
smaller mills, whose owners are not in the Asso.
cIatlon or have not sufficient means to carry their
stock or to enforce the advance agreed upon, is
taken by the wealthier manufacturers, and thus
the greed OF monopolists is satisfied without fear
Of competition.
Such combination, like the attempted exac
tions In the coal trade, would break down, how
ever, but for the aid Of the Government In pro.
tecting, through patents and the tariff, the manu-
facturers of wood pulp, which is the article now
most extensively used in the manufacture Of
printing paper. This is the other and the main
prop Of the paper ring.
Congress supposed that 1t had admitted every
description Of paper stock duty free rags, cot.
ton, linen jute and hemp and paper waste or
waste Of any kind, including waste rope and
waste bagging, at only for the manufacture Of
paper" is one classification free Of duty. Another
law, placed on the free list Rags, other than
wool, paper stock, crude Of every description, in.
Guiding all grasses, Abres, waste, shavings, clip.
| pings, old paper, rope ends, waste rope, waste
bagging, gunny bags and gunny cloth, old or re.
| fuse to be used In making and fit only to be con.
| Verted into paper" Still another made free
"Esparto, or Spanish grass, and other grasses, or
| pulp Of, for the manufacture OF paper"
Unfortunately there is in the dutiable section
| the clause "dTied pulp, 20 per cent. ad valorem."
| The Department decided that pulp Of, for the
| manufacture Of paper" only included the pulp
Of certain grasses, and that under the clause
per must pay 20 per cent. This would be fair
! decision perhaps II later section of the same
act June 22d 1874 did not read THE impr rrtatlon
Of the following article shall be exampt from
| duty: Paper stock, crude, of every
description" Even "drled pulp" therefore, If
only Of the kind to be used as paper stock, ought
to be free The claim that 1t Is not crude would
not exempt 1t. since the section goes on to in
clude rope; bagging rags, paper waste, and every
thing else likely to be made into paper
The production OF wood pulp in this country is
| in half q dozen hands who have a legal mo.
nopoly of the business. 1t can be imported from
Norway, to cost there little over one cent a
pound, but 1t is very bulky pays heavy freight,
20 per cent duty, and wastes nearly so per cent.
It can be made In this country at FIRST cost OF
| about one cent pound, but Is now sold al three
or four cents. The mouopolists would not have
40 fine q time Of II, but two Of the leading mem.
bers of Congress are among the largest owners,
and their influence and skill combined are likely
to staye off any legislation in favor Of the people.
They can not directly resist the tide Of public
opinion, but they will favor commission to ex.
| anime and report or some other convenient
method to postpone change In the law for
another year
We wish to say a few plain words on this sub.
iect. Congress has designed to allow all paper
stock to be imported free Of duty. There Is not
shadow OF doubt that this is the will OF the peo'
ple.and that an effort was made to express It in
the fullest possible manner by appropriate legis.
lation. All that is now necessary to give full
effect OF this design Is to amend the law by adding
| to the present reading the words in Italics, viz
"Esparto or Spanish grass, and other grasses, and
pulp Of, and all other pup for the manufacture Of
paper"
if!this is done, and 1t should be done at once
the duty on foreign made paper may remain as 1t
| is If this country can not stand the importation
of ground wood in its crude condition, for the
product of printing paper, because two Congress-
men who own a patent, and with three or four
| others have O fat monopoly Of the business, are
likely to object, then the newspapers must put up
their prices and the people submit to the eXacton
as best they may, The only thing we asa is that
there be no dallying and that the issue shall be
clear-apd the result decisive. II the people side
with the monopoly and the House OF Representa-
tive stands with its two wealthy mRnipulators now
in control Of the paper market we wish 10 know
IL at once and have done with the struggle until a
new Congress is elected. We hope some member
will move the question and put 1t to "a fair and
open test.--N Y Jour1lG! Of Commerce.