The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1899-01-05
Tariff Protects the Trusts in Plum
dering Consumers.
Continued next week)

Washington, Dec. 27.-The Amer
lcan Newspaper Publishers associa-
ton has presented to the Anglo
American joint high commissions
carefully prepared argument in favor
of free paper and free pulp. The
following is syllabus of the argu-
ment:
"The directors of the American
Newspaper Publishers association,
representing 157 daily newspapers
of the United States and represent
ing the bulk of the total consump-
tion of print paper, are in favor of
free paper and free pulp. The tariff
of Sc per ton on print paper is pro
hibitory, and we believe the rate Of
81 81 per ton for mechanically ground
wood pulp is excessive; that the
American paper manufacturers need
no protection, because they can man
ufacture paper cheaper than is done
in any other part of the world and
that they are now supplying the Aus
tralian, Japanese and British markets
in competition with Swedish and
German manufactures that no print
paper is brought into the United
States, but that during the last year
the export has averaged 1000 tons
per week, and the entire aevenue re-
ceived from the importation of me-
chanically ground wood pulp was
only S41, S42 last year, so that no
serious question of national economy
could be urged in opposition to free
pulp and free paper.
The American manufactures are
protected to the extent of 81 60 per
ton, by reason of their proximity
to their customers. The difference
in the cost of transportation to mar
ket is their great guarantee of sccur-
ity against Canadian or any foreign
country. They are also protected by
reason of their ability to obtain
cheaper and more convenient sup
plies of coal and chemicals, whith, as
yet are not obtainable in the Cana.
dian forests.
In January, 1898, all the big and
profitable paper mills of the United
States, with few unimporlant excep
tions, were merged into the Inter
national Paper company, a combina
ton that absorbed twenty four mills,
producing about 80 per cent of the
entire American output This cor
poration, or trust, was capitalized
upon basis Of $50, 900, 900. Til,
pretext given for the organization o
the trust was the inability of mills t
make paper at prevailing prices-tha
bankruptcy stared them in the face
The combination was really formed
to protect the proprietors whose mill
were in poor localities or on stream
that were running dry. Every mill
owner who entered that trust invited
a withdrawal of government favor
Excessive and improper prices wer
paid for many mills that were locate,
on exhausted water courses and tha
were tributary to denuded timbe
tracts.
Organizers of the trust frankl
admitted at the outset that lis com
, mon stock represented no invest
ment, yet dividend of one per cen
on the common stock was declare
in November, payable Dec 81, 1895
This common stock is now selling o
j Wall street at 60. A circular base
upon Conformation from officers @
J the International Paper compan
showed that in July the trust W.
making a profit of so a ton on il
output.
The entire output of the corpor'
ton, representing l APO tons per do
9 of theoretical capacity, could be n
produced by a present investment {
: SIS, 900, 900, so that the America
e consumers of newspapers are force
to pay dividends upon an initiate
o and wholly fictitious valuation of
least $40, 900, 900
!. Immediately after the organic
ton of the trust it raised the pri
OF paper whcreyerpossible. Iu thr