Daily Kennebec journal., 1900-02-24
Daily Kennebec 3curnal.
THE PRESS
Declares War on the Arbitrary
Action Of the Paper Trust.
Considers Recent Advance in White
Paper to Be Unwarranted.
Excellent Reasons Given in its Appeal TO
Congress Tor Remedy.
THE PRESS

New York. Feb. 23.-The American
Newspaper Publishers Association,
comprising most Of the large neWspa-
pprs of the United States, for the past
three days in convention at the Wal
dorf Astoria in this city, gave thorough
consideration to the sudden increase
in the price of white paper and the
reasons therefor. The following reso-
utions were passed and a committee
of the newspaper proprietors will per-
sonally present the same to Congress
within the next few days.
"Whereas the price of printing paper
used by newspapers in the United
States has been arbitrarily increased
in price from 60 to 100 per cent. with
out reason or warrant to be found in
the records of the industry itself, and,
Whereas it is the common belief that
this increase is due to the workings
of a trust, therefore be it,
Resolved that the American News
naper Publishers Association. repre-
seuting in this case not only its own
members but the - 900 newspapers of
The United States, calls upon Congress
TO make an inquiry by means of a
specill committee into the conditions
above described. to the end that suit
able legislation may be provided TO
remedy this condition of affairs. in the
interest of the best source OF public
information provided for the people, L.
wit:
The. newspaper press, whose interest
the founders of the republic held in III"
highest regard.
THE attention Of Congress IS direct
ID to five bills now in the hands OF the
ways and means committee, not necrS-
sarly to aid the passage Of any "l
them specifically, but as evidence OF Il
great demand for some form of rene
dial legislation, to which the inquiry we
request would be preliminary.
We believe that the entire agitation
against trusts presents no more con
crete example than this. ana your pc
titioners, relying upon the desire of
Congress to legislate in the interests Of
the people. believe you will accept the
opportunity to make this inquiry in
the spirit in which it is demanded.
The newspaper, it is fair to state.
unlike most other forms of industry.
sells at a fixed price and has no means
of nutting the increased cost onto the
consumer. III llldIis llHNSiiNNN - ii4N'N-'r'
tbe complete confiscation of profits,
and in many others creates an actual
loss.
The apparently sincere desire OF all
parties to deal with the trust question
removes this inquiry from the chargc
Of partisanship and makes 1t What IL
is intended to be, an inquiry IN the
public interest"
The following officers We're re-elected;
President. s f. Kaufman Washington
star; Wee president NJ {. McCrae. Gin
ciuuati Post: secretary. w 6. HrNant'
Rronklvn Times; treasurer. Edward !.
can New York Evening Post; executive
committee W l.. Mclean. Phll3detpti'
Rulletin: e. VI. Palmer, Cleveland; A. a
McCormick. Chicago Times-Herald: +, f.
Whiting. Boston Herald: G. " Hnapp
st Louis Republic; Charles H. laYlor'
Boston Globe; and Jos. I. NeVln' fl'tS-
burg Leader.
The American Newspaper Publishers
Association held its 18th annual Dahquet
tonight. at the Waldorf-Astoria. TWO
hundred and fifty members and guests
were in attendance 5. IL. kaui mann g
the Washington Star. prc csidGd. ana VII WI
c. BRYANT Of the Brooklyn Times, .3cted
as postmaster. Seated near Mr.. haul-
mann at the head of the table were ste
nhen O'Meara of the Boston Journal,
Charles A. Towne. Philip !. Dodge, koo-
ert G. ogden ana Judge w. B. Green:
Well-known out-of-town men pres
ent we're: Charles w. Knap Of the r.
Washington Star; f. p. Bailcy Of the
Utica Observer; Charles Francis Of the
Troy Times; Frederick Whiting q tn'
Boston Herald; ]. w. Stoddard q thg
Baltimore American; Charles H. Taylor
Of the Boston Globe.
Mr.. O. Mcara. speaking for the unifyinS
influence of he American newspapers,
declared that to the newspapers is due II
a great measure the bonds Of broth"rlE
love that bind together all parts OF the
United States