The Greenville times. [volume] (Greenville, Miss.) 1868-1917, 1900-02-24
THE PRINTING PAPER QUESTION

investigate the recent advance il
the price of printing paper, give
in his journal some Of the results
of the inquiry.
He says the committee found
first, that the rise in the price hai
been greatest on news paper, less
on book paper, and little or moth
ing on high grade paper; second,
that the increase on news paper
amounts to $50 ton, and, as the
tariff on paper is but S6 a ton, the
rise cannot be due to the protec-
ton afforded; neither would a low
ering of the tariff on paper effect
a material reduction of the pres
ent price.
Proceeding from ascertained
facts to opinions formed after
close examination of the question
this publisher says he believes that
the introduction of improved ma
chinery causes largely increased
output of paper, which could not
be disposed of except at a greatly
reduced price. This accounts for
the cheapness of paper in the past
few years. The low price of paper
encouraged the publishers to use
more paper; and the enlargement
of their papers encouraged re lers:
and, finally, the demand for = per
has equaled the supply and the
paper makers find that they can
get better price for their pro-
duct. and they are doing it. They
are putting on all the traffic will
bear. They have had some ex-
cuse IN the fact that the pulp mills
have not been running full time,
owing to lack of water, and the
raw material, or paper stock has
cost them more than formerly.
The Macon publisher concludes
that the advance is due to economi-
cal causes, and not to a combina-
ton among the paper makers; al
though he agrees that the paper
makers are trying to get all they
can out of the boom in their bust
ness.
He thinks the weekly papers,
selling for 81 a year, will have to
abolish the credit system or raise
their prices to So. They cannot
at the present price of paper in
dulge In a credit business. There
is bare profit even when sub
scriptlons are paid strictly cash In
advance.
The committee is doubties right |
in concluding that removal OF
the tariff on paper would not re-
suit in restoring prices to their
former levels. 1t could not be
expected that printing paper would
De exempted from the general rise
n value OF commodities. But the
'emoval of the tariff impost would
orlhg ioreign paper IN competl-
ion with the domestic article, and
n all probability would force
eductlon in prices to the amount
# the impost-that is to say, Sc
'er ton. Tbat alone would saw
ng to publishers worth contend
no for,
All newspapers would he justi-
ed in raising the price Of subscrip-
ION in the present circumstances,
ut it is doubtful if any of them
Ill undertake to do so where is
harp competition, as Is the case
most everywhere.
We reproduce the above from t
lemphis Sclmitar to show some 70 [
II readers who think that the d
rice of the Times should be re- !
ed is now impossible. and make a
lythlng out Of it, owing to the b
eady advance in paper. With I
Ost papers of The state the small j
revenue comes from the sub
'lrtlons. In fact, many papers
Id subscribers pay or no pay q
benefit their advertisers. This :,
IN will now have to be done -
ay with unless the price of paper :"
aid be reduced With the r.
ssent system of Mississippi pa -
S costing from two to twenty -
is to collect each years sub -
iption, and with this expendi- w
e never collecting over one half '"
will never be done. In our " y.
Mon the prese ntnews paper law ~,
'uld be repealed. Anewspaper
uId be sent TO no man but who "
paid a years subscription in
ance, gave his note or writ
order for same. Then the cost ~. "
paper could be determined, its !"
Dme known. and its subscrip- ~
lowered or raised as the fig ~
Justify. But no paper today ~
er the present system where
honest pay, while the other on,
third which constitute a pa :,
list, receive but never pay, l"r
the paper, inks, type and "
else used in a printing s"0
e advancing, can afford to