The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-02-21
THE TARIFF ON PAPER.


pretty general demand has goncup on the
par, of the press of the country for relief from
the greed of the PRINT paper monopoly. The
specdcst and most certain means of obtaining
relief is conceded on all hands to lie in the
prompt repeal of the duty on foreign print pa
per and on the raw material Of which 1t is
made. The impression appears to be shared
by many that the removal Of the duty on paper
rags, soda ash and other materials winch enter
largely into the manufacture Of paper will
alone be sufficient to bring down the price, but
our impression is that this would be lean
ing on broken reed If, as is generally be
| licvcd, t.cre Is no real cause for the present
enormous advance in the price Of print paper
and that it is almost entirely the result OF a
combination between the paper manufacturers
and dealers, Cheapcning the raw material Will
not break the combination. The only certain
relief is IN the material reduction, # not entire
removal OF the duty on foreign print paper.
This will bring instant relief and with re
moval, also, of the duty on raw material, Will
avert any supposed hardship the reduction may
involve to our home manufacturers.
Great hopes, we observe, are entertained by
the sufferers from the rise in paper from the
bill introduced in congress week or two ago
by Col. Fort, Of this state. The bill was pre-
scented with a commendable flourish indeed,
and for "a few days hopes were held out that
Col. Fort would get the floor some morning
and be able under suspension of the rules to
rush it through the house with railroad speed.
But if any body Is simple enough to imagine
any such possibility he may as we'll dismiss it.,
No bills are harder to force through congress
at any time than bills proposing to change or
amend the tariff laws. That is a robber system
made up of about 5000 lines of detail hardly
one Of which could hold on its own merits
but all of which, like so many steel wires knit
together into one cord, are almost OF lmitess
strength Cut one of the wires and the strength
of all the Others is impaired to that extent The
removal of the duty on print paper, soda ash,
rags, &c, would be such severing of the wires
OF this mighty cord that all would be more or
less endangered.
We are told, indeed, by Washington dis,
patches, that for days after Mr.. Fort had intro
duced his bill in the house and it had been re.
ferred to the ways and means committee, he
had labored necessarily to get that committee
to look at It, and the best promise he could get
was one from Mr.. Wood the chairman, that he
would call the attention of the committee to il
as soon as they got respite from the argu.
ments which they are now daily compelled to
listen to on the sugar question and the taritfon
steel rails. This looks hopeful indeed-very |
In fact, we have the further comfortable intor- |
nation that the paper manufacturers are so
confident that it will be impossible to success
fully assail the barbarous tariff that they have
decided not to send a lobby to the capital for
the present to oppose the Foot bill.
If the press of the country, and all others |
opposed to this infamous tax on intelligence
are in earnest about having it abrogated, there |
will be something more needed than reliance
IN the tardy movements of the ways and means
or happy go-lucky chance of some
morning catching the speakers eye and
bringing the bill on the house and rushing 1t |
Trough on the railroad plan. 1t will never
20 through in that way Such things can on
y be forced by agitation clamor and threats,
t need be, to spur up sluggish congressman