Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-01-07


hone OF contention before the ways
and means committee yesterday and
furnished the most interesting episode
of the tariff hearings up TO daIe'
There was warm controversy De-
tween John Norris, business manager
of the New York World who attacked
The alleged trust, and ex-Congre5smah
Russell of Massachusetts, who IL re-
puted to be ut the head of the combi-
nation. and ex-senator Warner Miller
of Herkimer, N. Y, who has large
interests In paper manufacturing
Russell and Miller denied absolutely
the existence OF trust.
When the paper schedule was an
nounced John Morris said Il appear
to formally apprse this committee
of the fact that twenty-four or twenty
five manufacturers OF white paper III
the United States are perfecting their
ARRANGEMENTS for Il combination by
which every newspaper shall be at the
mercy of u central agency by which
these manufacturers shall receive ad-
dtional profits of $4000,000 OF $4,000
UUO u your. lHc Pooo VI '' "
rs TO keep tho price OF paper at ABOUT
2h cents, while the present ruling
price is about cents, and by cutUlhB
Off various concessions to newspaper
publishers TO Increase their plohus III
that way also.
Being asked by Mr. Tawney whether
a trust. had been actually formed Mr..
Norris explained that he had been IN
formed by members of 1t thAt all ulie
details had been arranged by manu-
features. that lawyers arc now
tinkerlng upon IN agreement ana
would practically finish 1t wlohlh
twenty-fo,lr hours, that central once
had b cen established IN New York.
nnd the mon who were TO represent
tho combination in London, Chicago,
San Francisco and other cities had
been selected.
Messrs. Dingey, Davis and other
members of the committee questioned
Mr.. Norris closely to show that II
paper were put on the free list Amer
lean manufacturers would be driven
out Of business.
III prices arc unduly raised by Uho
trust" Mr.. Norris said, newspaper
publishers would establish their own
paper factories" lie had no recon-
mendntIo to make M To tho proper
duty of tho committee, he concludeh,
but thought THAT IL was we'll that CON
gross should be informed OF the SIT
uatlon that 1t might make the bill u
menace to such n combination aa tho
one being formed.
EX-C Congressman Russell said Il
deny that any combination has boon
practically formed or that there Is
under consideration such n combna-
ton by tho manufacturers to rise
prices.
In reply to n question from MI
Tnwncy Whethcr the manufacturers
had contemplated the destruction OF
competition Mr.. Russell said; III
prices were cheaper other mhnuiac-
turors could not oxIst, but If we put up
prices that would hold an umbrella
over all" In answer to moro qucs~
lions Mr. Russell admitted that tho
second attempt to form combination
had not been abandoned, although he
Thought 1t would be Ruthless.
Chairman Dlngley asked: HAS
thoro over boon talk OF combination
Of pulp manufacturers"
No, sir" replied the witness.
Ex-senator Warner Miller OF Now
York repeated practically the state
ments made by Mr.. Russell. MIR, Mil
ler said that he would like to see the
threat that tho newspapers would es-
tablish their own factories carried out.
II had been tried before and failed
showing THAT the men had better stick
to business they understood.
During tho morning II big delegation
Of lumbormen appeared with c. W..
Goodyear OF Buffalo as spokesman.
representing 81 10000, 900, 600 capital and
100000 workingmcn. lle asked to
have white pine, homlock bass and
sycamore restored to the rate OF s.
per Thousand feet from the existing
81 rate. The Wilson bill. he declared,
had given market for Sl3,000,0O0
worth of Canadian lumber and divert
ed 81 100000 Of revenue. Represen-
tative lsoutelle rep, Me- spoke at
the request OF the lumbermen OF tho
east. Others who appeared ON be-
6alf OF the lumber trade were: Judge
Page Morris, congressman from
Duluth: J. Il. Encchs. Jackson Miss ;
Il, Il. Walker, Minneapolis: A,
II. Winchester, w. Va. They all
asked to have raw material kept on
the FREQ list. Other speakers were
G. II. Lang OF Boston, for the rattan
manufacturers: Louis c. Wagner OF
New York. regarding cigar labels;
Wellington Smith OF Lee, Mass, for
the tissue and copying paper manu-
facturers; William G. Reed OF Boston,
for makers OF Photographic paper;
Henry Ives Of New York for book in
terests. all asking for a restoration Of
the Mckinley schedules, or higher
rate.
SHORT AND SHOT.