The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-04-02


interest to the public, and especially to the
publishers, 10 learn Of the extent OF the petit
tons that have been sent TO the House OF Rep
resen,atves, praying FOR repeal of the pres
ent onerous duties, which yield DO revenue, on
pulp and print-paper. The petltors have all
been referred to the =" graveyard" -. e., Ways
and Means Committee.
The first petition from publishers for the
abolition or reduction OF the duty on paper
was introduced Feb. II by George Il. Davis, OF
Chicago. On that day two such petitions were
introduced, and referred. On the following
day two more petitions were introduced; on
the 18Th. - ; on the ooh, 32; on the 23d, l20: +:
on the 24th II on the 25th 80 on the 2Gth,
100; on the 27th, 147; on the 1st day OF March,
228; March 2, 90; March 3, so; March 4, 81 (;
March s. II; March 8, 1856; March 9, Il March
&c, %; March II, 81; March y, IA; March 10
"A: March II, 9; making
TOTAL OF 800 PETITIONS
for the reduction of the duty on paper and
type.
Many OF these petitions are signed by one
publisher OF the firm: many others by al the
publishers IN a town or city. Quite number
OF the memorials are from associations OF
newspapers, forty or fifty names being on
some OF them.
They are from every part of the nited
States, but heaviest from the West and South
They probably embrace 80 or 80 per cent. OF
all the newspaper publishers in The United
States. Every member OF the House has re
ceiyed petitions from almost every publisher
l. ri,arer x.g
Republican and Democratic newspapers alone
who have demanded the repeal OF the pup
and paper tax, but nearly the whole religious
press. agricultural press, and literary and scien-
nfc press. Book aud job printers ere also
beginning 20 memorahze Congress 10 take of
those injurious taxes on knowledge
AS THESE PETITIONS
must under the rules be placed in the petition
box at the Clerks desk, whence they are car
ried 10 the hostile Means and Ways Committee
rooms by clerk, there can be, OF course, no
public mention OF them as IN the case OF the
introduction OF bill or resolution. These
petitions have poured in from all parts OF the
country. New England and Pennsylvania in-
c}uded. and have been presented not by free
|
contrary. every member OF the House has in
troduced one or more such petitions. An ex-
animation OF the names CT members intro
ducing these petitions, carried through only
four letters of the alfabet, will serve TO illus
trate how generally members have become
their sponsors. The list is as follows: Aiken,
Atherton. Aldrich (of Chicago) Atkins, Arm
field. Anderson, Ainslie, Boyd, Brewer, Baker,
BaNou Barber (of Chlcago), Burrows, Belford
Berry. Browne Blackburn, Brown. Briggs.
Bragg, Bliss, Bouck, Blckne, Bachmap,
Bland Berett, Beltzboover, Bright, Bal
lev. Brigham, Cannon, Cslkins, Coerick,
Cowgirl, Camp, Carpenter, Conger. Crapo Cobb,
Coffroth, Caswe Carlisle, Crdyens Clafln,
Davis (Chicago), Davis (Cal), Davis On. ca,
Deuster. Dickey, Dunnell, DAVIS (Mo), Deer
ing, Dlbbrel Davidson Dunn. De Il Matyr,
and Dwight, and 70 on 10 the end Of tie alta
bet, win Young, Of Ohio.
A gleat many OF these petitions are in man
uscript and signed each by many publishers
A majority Of the printed petitions winch have
been heavily signed in the Western aud south
ern States
READ AS FoLLows:
To the Honorable the Senate and House OF
RepresentatI OF the United states IN Con-
gress: The undersigned publishers pray your
honorable body to pass a bill placing WOOD and
straw pulp, soda ash, and other chemicals used
ln the manufacture OF paper, on the free-list.
and to reduce the duty on printing paper used
for books pamphlets, and magazines. at least
to i've per cent advalorem. The enactment OF
such law will materially cheaper the cost OK
manufacturing paper, give great relief TO pub
- dtnsr ha OaNya Aha Low
ernment itself large sum in the price OF pa
per II consumes, and at the same time enable
paper-makers to compete successfully with any
foreign competition. The material for the
stock OF unsized paper consists mainly OF straw
and wood, both OF which are abundant and
cheap in this country, but they require large
amounts OF soda-ash and other chemicals for
their reduction TO white pulp, and consequent
ly those essential chemicals should be placed
on the free list. In the opinion or your petit
TONERS. the revenue derived from the import
tax on said chemicals are no longer needed by
tie Treasury which is In receipt OF q very
large surplus income, and scarcely any revenue
has been obtained from the duty on printing
paper for many years, as 1t Is practically pro-
| hlbitory: nor do We believe 1t is wise finance
or sound policy in Government dependent on
general intelligence for it's stability to levy
represslve taxes on popular education in the
forms OF Bibles, school-books, magazines, or
newspapers by rendering them dear and their
knowledge should be the last resort for sup
plying the wants of the Treasury. The recent
extraordinary advance in the price OF printing
paper, aud the prospect OF stlll higher prices
! through successful combination OF the paper
manu- acturers. have placed publishers IN a
very embarrassing position III tney advance
their subscription price to keep pace with the
Iise in the cost OF paper, they must sacrifice
part OF their circulation; II they reduce the
SIZE OF their sheets TO correspond with the
enhancement OF paper, they will cripple their
advertising space and deprive their eaders or
portion Of the news or the day. The best
practicable remedy far the existing evil OF
which we can conceive is to unhandlcap both
per-makers and publishers by repeating the
onerous taxes before mentioned, and thereby
cheapeniLg the expense OF manufacture and
removing the prohibition OF imported paper.
After that in done the natural law OF supply
and demand will regulate and establish the
price OF paper to the publishers aud tue pubic:
All we ask is the removal OF the burdens placed
by the Government upon the paper business.
And your petitioners will ever pray, etc.
But IT Is VERY QUESTIONABLE
whether the ultra protection majority OF the
Ways and Means COMMITTEES will pay the slight
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