Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-02-06

The American Newspaper Publishers
Association has prepared a lengthy
paper in favor of admitting paper and
pulp to this country free of duty. The
association is composed of the most
prominent publishers in the United
States, irrespective of political atlilia-
tionS, and their protest is one which
must sooner or later receive attention
from congress. Below are few en-
tracts from the paper which, as
whole, is one of the best rcfutations Of
the protection theories that Il non
partisan organization has ever laid be-
fore Il president. In giving reasons why
paper and pulp should be admitted free,
this association has shown that mon
opoly is the logical sequence of protec
ton. Speaking Of the paper trust, it
says:
In January, 1895, all the big aud pro-
ftable paper mills of the United States,
with few unimportant exceptions, were
merged into the international Paper
Company, combination that absorbed
twentyfour mills, producing about so
per cent of the entire American output.
This corporation, or trust, was capital
lied upon basis of So, 100000.
THE organizers of the trust frankly
admitted at the outset that its common
stock represented no investment, yet a
dividend of per cent on the common
stock was declared in November, pay
able December 81, 1898. This common
stock is now selling in Wall street at CO.
A circular based upon information furn-
ished by officers of the international
Paper Company showed that in July the
trust was making a profit of SO a ton
on its output.
The entire output OF this corporation.
representing / 1,42O tons day for theo-
retical capacity, could be reproduced
by present Investment of $l5, ,000,0 ,000
so that the American consumers of
newspapers are forced to pay dividends
upon an inflated and wholly fictitious
valuation of at least $4,000, 900.
immediately after the organization
of the trust it raised the price of paper
wherever possible. In three cases it
raised its price $40 ton, and has aver
aged an increase of S5 ton on its daily
output of 1,420 tons, equalizing an in
creased tax of S2.130,0OO per annnm
upon the newspapers Of the country,
which now pay a total exceeding SEQ.
coo, 900 per annum for their paper
supply. Every increase of II quarter OF
Il cent pound in the price of news
paper adds S34 900, 900 to the value of
the trust securities"
Whenever a gigantic trust inserts
itself into American economies it may
be regarded as evidence that the product
it proposes to control no longer requires
the alleged fostering care Of the protec-
tive tariff. The principle of tariff pro-
lection for infant industries cannot be
cOntorted into governmental connivance
in promoting trusts. The prohibitory
tariff of So per ton on printing paper
and the excessive tax of Sl.G7 per ton
on pulp ought in the interests of the
people and the perpetuity of the good
faith the administration party owes the
people, be repealed without argument
and without delay. The duties on these
articles, under existing conditions.
amounts to tax pure and simple, not
upon luXurcs, but upon actual neceS-
sties. The existence of a monopoly is
irrefutablc evidence that such is a fact.
There is no room for doubt The gov
crnment stands in the light of a con
spirator against the interests of the peo-
ance is removed.