Evening journal., 1888-08-15


has touched the interests of manufactu-
rers Of paper lightly, but why It should
touch them at all do not understand If
an article is sold in the United States as
low, or about as low as in any country,
that ought to be n satisfactory condition
to every one. My observation and in
Quiry leads me to the conclusion that the
price of all grades Of paper is, on an
average. about the same as II is
abroad. md the quality is not inferior to
that made elsewhere. Before 1860, and for
few years subsequent to that time,
there We're large quantities Of paper inn
ported. but the manufacture Of American
paper has driven the foreign article out
Of the market There is hardly person
who does not admit that the American
product is equal or superior TO any, and
this is true TO such an extent that there is
no demand IN public or private for the for
eign article. with few exceptions
Whatever is now imported consists largely
Of specialities, such as photograph paper,
which, as yet. has not been made to any
great extent by our manufacturers.
Il recur to the question, Why should
the committee reduce the tariff on
paperg On book paper such as
used in the publication of maya.
zines and books. the duty Is reduced by
the Mills bill from 20 TO 10 per cent, and
on newspaper from 10 TO IA per cent
You viii observe that this is Il reduction
Of the duty ia each case Of 20 per cent.
II the price Of paper was high in this
country, if the equality was inferior, so
that there was q business demand for the
foreign paper, there might then he some
justification for the proposed change but,
as I have already said, the quality is as
good as can be found anywhere, and the
price is MS low.
'For the information Of the House |
viii state the changes that have taken
place in the price Of paper since 1860 At
That time the ordinary grades Of writing
paper sold from rs TO % cents pound
and now the same paper sells from % TO
i6 cents, e decline Of from a to cents
or 40 per cent. Book paper sold in 1850
Tor ! 60 i3 cents pound, and now sells
FOR q 10 Z ccnts n decline Of 4 TO CENTS
or nearly 30 per cent And newspaper
which sold from s to 10 cents pound is
now selling for cents, or a decline of
over 80 per cent. You win observe that
the price Of paper has been reduced in
twenty-cight years nearly so per cent,
and Il is Also true that during that
time the quality has improved, and that
wages lmve advanced 40 per cent. To H.
lnstrate this point OF Increase in wages.
the skilled workman who In 1860 received
from @l.6O TO SiiJ day. now receives
Sc l5 TO @3 so q day an increase Of more
than 90 per cent. The same class OF help
In Great Britain receives from Sl.2l TO
@l, i5 a day, on not moro than one half
the wages here. The average increase ~
wages in the paper industry In the United
States, including all kinds of labor, Is 40
per cont, and more than balances any
disadvantage the manufacturer may have
received from the useNof wood pulp or
cheaper material Of any kind
This ought TO be q satisfactory con
dition TO the consumer of paper and TO
The laborcr who makes it, aud ! repeat
that am 1T a loss to understand why in
the absence of any complaint on the part
Of the consumer, laborer or manufacturer
there should he any proposition TO change
the tariff rate. II viii be said In reply
Iii these things are SO. why do You want
the tariff 60 prevent the European manu-
facturor from sending his surplus pro
duction here, thus breaking down our
market. closing our mills and, throwing
our laborers out of employment We
welcome home competition, but we do
not want "a compete with the
whole world, and especially with
that labor which docs not receive
one half the compensation Of American
labor. Tho advocates Of the policy Of
protection TO American manufacturers
claims That tic consumer obtains the
product OF q reasonable price through
competition among our own people, and
the facts ! have narrated furnish the
most conclusive proof that the paper I'M
dustry is marvellous instance Of the
good result and practical effect of such a
policy, and OF the correctness Of the
position taken by those who favor pro
lection. When Il is now proposed to
reduce the duty ON paper we confront
You with condition, not a theory the
condition being high wages, low cost to
the consumer, constant Improvement in
quality and no general demand for any
change in the tariff