New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-31
FOR FREE PAPER AND PULP.
MEMORIAL FROM NEWSPAPER PUBLISHERS
TO THE JOINT HIGH COMMISSION
AND CONGRESS-

Washington. Jan. 30-A called meeting of the
American Newspaper Publishers Association was
heo here to-day with view directing the
tention Of the American members OF the Joint
high Commission 10 the urgent need that q policy
De adopted which shall protect American forests by
securing in the treaty in course Of prepara-
ton between the United States and Canada d
revocation OF the present duty printing paper
and pulp from Canada c. W Knapp was elected
chairman. and William c. Bryant. OF The Brook
Ign Times" secretary Of the meeting. after a
brief and informal discussion the following state
ment OF the views OF the association was adopted
and ordered to be printed and presented to the
members Of the Commission and to Representatives
and Senators in Congress:
The delegated representatives. OF a large number
OF newspapers IN meeting assembled al Washing
President and to the American Commissioners that
the honest Intentions which originally induced the
esta plisheht or the tarlT duly on paper ana pup
have been perverted TO further the purposes OF
recently formed corporation. the International
Paper company. and tnat every newspaper pAbhca-
ton IN the country east OF the Rocky Mountains
has been placed at the mercy OF that corporation
Nllhln tne iast week We are advised th4t lle IN
ternationa Paper Company has acquired fourteen
additional mills, representing the plants OF three
larBe concerns ana mat II II ncsot ldtls lOi thIee
other properties which represent All Of The output
Michigan In view OF the fact that the Interna-
tiona Paper Company is selling It's surplus paper
competition with Canadian, German and Swedish
manufacturers, and IN view or the important point
lNat the international Paper company - pfolfflru
by reason OF It's proximity 70 It's customers 10 inc
extent Of average OF s. 90 per ton. and by reason
OF coal and chemicals We fail to see the occasion
for giving sanction TO It's abuse of governmental
The International Paper Company is combina
ton OF twentytour mills since expanded 70 thirty
50 per cent OF the news output. It's promoters
frankly admit that the common stock OF $-0spvV
la re combination could be duplicated with modern
and better machinery a. less cost per pound upon
users In the United States are forced TO bear the
burden OF excessive capitalization OF NOgsgW.
nun Every miii-owner who entered that com
bination invited withdrawal OF tarin duties
Excessive and improper prices were paid for many
mills that located on exhausted water courses
and that tributary 10 denuded timber tracts
sufcient supply Of water or are under water; for
mills that are inferior and worthless IN machinery
equipment and construction for mills that must
psy excessive rental for power for mills that
DO not own control woodland for mills tnat
have neither pulp-grinding attachments nor sui
No ont % the mills in all the combination pos
sassed ali OF the six essentials Of the cheapest and
most successful manufacture. M mey, cheap wood
cheap and ample water po%eb cmfap rod5st,on
snd concentration a one place under one super
.isior In some ca SEES the organizers OF the Inter-
nattonal Paper Company gave securities 70 mill
owners representing five times the actual invest
nssorrmenf Of mills the paper company also sc
nuired every available spruce tract where cheap
tirber could be had and every large water-pover.
v-tfo one exception. where substantial competition
rnighr M herv.ise he established This object was
easily attained. because our spruce supply IS De
ing exhausted at the rate Of 100 square miles per
anrurn The State OF New York has set aside q
nary ~ 900 square miles Of spruce territory. and
5ecreed that no timber thereon shall ever be cut IN
order that the State might guard the water supply
and avert disastrous floods and protect agriculture
snd ranufacture Nermonts spruce forests are
barely equal TO its home demands New-Hamp-
sbire com m ssioners have issued solemn warning
,bar ,he states forest resources. al the present
rata ~ cutting will be exhausted in eight years
All the timber townships o. Maine accessible 10
ne large rivers have been denuded
Condirons have radically changed since the early
so,,Inrs cleared away the virgin forests. Millions
- o,,ia zion must now he considered. and climate.
baaI-b water supplies and kindred matters present
nay nrobeus for governmental action IN reguat-
i,g he stripping ~ forests and IN preventing me
a-nuai loss OF more thsn y1iOWVD through forest
S go thar machinery Of the Government which
,r,oosee nrohibtory duty on print paper Is also
-iscing nrenium upon the exhaustion or our
snrucs forests and Is adding 70 the obstruction
Urough bv forest fires and vandal me hods 81 tin-
~ r,1,,,inS No successful competition with the
Ito.ra .io,al paper Company Is possible In the
I.rt,ed states under existing conditions. Capital
,bet NAV seek 10 develop new enterprises FOR ne
neru|acture OF news paper g barred by the trust 8
,,irsn,ent Of all the possible facilities OF paper
ar~,etS,,c.ion 4 tax on news papers operates IN
1t-ac,fv as did the stamp tax or Europe 70 sup
rroee nevrspapers II ia tax or s2rDro per an
,'r, on intelligence a tax on popular education
md on political know edge
Az W. O thererore urge that advantage be taken %
cgotio ions 10 place pulp and paper on the free
- srd thereby give the only strong ana perna-
nent assurance OF protection from TINS comona-