Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-12-11
NEWSPAPER PAPER COMBINE.
"PriceS Not TO lie Advanced"-"Co-
on.r,tfon TO Prevent Ruin"

operstfop to Prevent Ruin"
NEW YORK. December lo.-Conferences
OF tho principal manufacturers OF the
white paper used by newspapers have
been held In this city for more than
week past to consider the formation OF
a general stock company to handle the
product OF the mills, and TO act as general
agent for the allied concerns. These ne
eotiations eliminated to-day In the practl-
cal agreement OF all concerned TO pool
interests. and 20 deal with consumers
only through a general agency, which Is
10 be established In this city. The plan
involves the formation Of a national asso-
citation. capitalized at a moderate amount,
which Is 10 control the product
of all the mills BY this arrangement
the manufacturers expect to reduce run
ming expenses TO reorganze the trade,
and 10 promOte friendler relations be-
tween ali concerned. They expressly deny
that prices will be advanced as result
OF the proposed agreement. but contend
that they are obliged 20 follow the ex-
ample of men directing other great in
dustries. and cooperate TO prevent rum
Gus competition.
Thirty companies ar interested I'm the
movement. They are said to control the
Industry I'm this country. Among those
Interested in the negotiations-<are: VIII
liam T. Spier. OF the Glcns Fails Paper
Coupnuy: william A. Russell, of the Fan
Mountain Paper Company; VI. NJ.
Enowles Of the Glen Manufacturing COM
uarv. Warner Miller Of the Herkimer
Paper Company; Hugh j. Chisholm or tne
otis Falls Paper Company; William II.
Parsons and David s. Cowles, Of the
gowdion Paper COMPANY and the Lis
hon Falls paper Company; 6. w. Knowl-
ton - \. Remington, and G.. ;. Herman
Of Watertown. representing Watertown
companies: a. u. Agenstetcher, or the
Fall Mountain Paper Company; Messrs.
FiIlcrfcu and Brockelbank. OF the Manu-
facturers' Taper Company; w. ". Brown.
Of the Berlin Falls Paper Company; j. +.
Webster. OF the Webster Paper company ,
Carrot Schenck and -. +. Emery, Jr., OF
the Rumford Falls Paper Company, ana
Alvin Record. Of the Jay Paper Com
Iany. .,..
attended the conferences in this city yes
tsrday and today. and all Of them have
been present or represented at previous
consultations held here during the past
fortnight. a..
All that now remains to be done i
agreement to a general form OF cohtl io''
which is being considered by the attor-
| conduct its business on pro rate OASIS
This win be determined by the extent OF
rreyioss business done by the allied com
nanies and the capacity Of the mills they
control. No attempt to restrict product Is
contemplated, as The foreign markets, II
is believed. viii take whatever suppne7
are left over at the end or the year Inc
eaving in freight rates, It was said to-
| dav. will be enormous, and is In itself al
J most a sufficient object 70 warrant such
I a movement. The details OF the orgahl-
zation are yet to be decided upon al
though 1t is probable that the executive
officers of the new company nave peeu
selected. All the allied concerns vii
! countless be represented on the Board oil
Trustees.
The utmost secrecy has attended these
negotiations. Those prominent In th'
movement have refused from time 70
! time TO discuss the plans or 10 ainrm VI
deny the many rumors that have peer
atioat. one Of the manufacturers III
tarested. however, said to-day: 1T Is true
that an agreement has been pracucaiiS
arrived at. The negotiations have peer
| carried on with the idea that the pro
| posed Joint company should represent al
| the manufacturers or none. We 90 no
/ intend 10 advance prices, but what w
are aiming at especially Is to make
material reduction in running expenses
This we shall certainly do. Previous Ell
forts I'm the direction Of such pooling
interests have proved futile, because o
the lack Of definite ends in view, and IN
fear that some would not live up 10 tnei
contract. and thereby gain an unfair au
vantage over those In fuller sympathy
with the cooperative movement w
have profited greatly by this experience
however, and now propose to unite upol
such a basis as will insure complete sue
cess.
."The newspaper illusions TO our con
ferences have been misleading. nan
truths only have been given, and the pun
lie has not been informed as to the rea
motives of those DESTROYS of uniting. IN
publishers will be benefited by the ne'
arrangement almost as much as we. IN
better papers will soon notice the cnahst
Quality rather than quantity viii here
after figure most prominently in our cal
culations. How this policy VIII affect TN
pennv papers / cannot foretell, althouS
il Is safe 10 say that poor stock Will no
be as readily obtainable, perhaps, as
wax before. Publishers, doubtless, WI
get II If they want 1t, but il may be mad
less popular.
THE pro rate arrangement has Dee
odortod because we believe IL to be tn
fsirest. IL obyiates the difficulties who
! kent rs apart before. and while possess
ina, the advantages OF the co-oDefatiV
plan. allows the Independence which thos
most influential ia the trade insist uDoi
we hone IL viii work WELL and from IN
way in which our plan has been received
we believe that IL solves the proDlei
which has been confronting US so long
I