Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-19
OPPOSE PAPER TRUST
PUBLISHERS RAISE A FUND TO
PROMOTE AGITATION.
Election Of ofieers-Banquet and In
teresting Speeches From Mayor Nc
clellan and Chinese Minister.

dispatch from New York last night
says: AT meeting Of the American News
paper Publishers Association held today
the Famine in white paper was discussed,
and the following resolution, introduced by
Ccnde Hamlin of the st. Paul Pioneer
Press. was unanimously adopted:
That the American Newspaper Publishers
Association request the President of the
United States and the Attorney General
to institute suit against any of the three
paper combinations to test the legality of
their existence. and whether they do no,
stife competition.
During the discussion preceding the
adoption of the resolution Don Setz and
john Norris. business managers of the New
York World and Times respectively. ad-
dressing the association, advocated the
adoption of the resolution, and attacked the
methods of the International Paper Com
pany. Mr.. Seitz offered $4,000 toward a
fund to carry on" a national agitation for
the removal of the duty on wood pulp for
paper making.
Situation Growing Worse.
Mr.. Seitz said that the paper stuati IN
in the United States is steadily growing
worse. the drouth of the last three or four
months emphasizing the predicament of
the newspaper industry through tine opera
tons of the International Paper COM
pany. The company. he said, controlling
every factor of the paper-making industry,
had. instead Of increasing its facilities and
accommodating reserve stock for emer-
geEcies, deliberately set out to restrict the
output of printing paper in order to secure
complete domination of the market.
During the five years of it's existence,
he said. it had not put in a single new
machine, had reduced it's output of news
paper at least 300 tons per day and had
perfected arrangements with independent
mills to maintain prices.
Overcapitalized to begin with he said, it
was impoverishing itself in purchasing wood
lands at high prices to shut out COMPETE
ton and to enrich insiders, the whole to
the ultimate burden of the newspapers,
which could not well increase the price of
their papers or advertising.
Mr.. Norris declared that newspapers are
today threatened with paper famine,
many of the papers being "hand-to-
mouth" basis. and that the manufacturers
had deliberately shut down on production.
Some Of the Trusts Excuses.
Among other things. he said:
IF the rivers are grinding pulp regularly
they approach us with lowered voices to
tell us that foods have stopped their mills.
II labor troubles are not threatening to
shut Off all production then they tell us
that the demands upon them for additional
paper in political campaigns are taxing
them beyond their capacity. If after
period of drought rain falls in New York
and New England. then they are prepared
to show that the rain did not reach the
important news mill section in any volume
and at those places where there was a
slight rainfall they serve us with stories
of drop In temperature and freezing Of
that rainfall and continuance of panic
conditions.
do not these methods suggest plan to
newspaper publishers? As customers OF
these paper manufacturers and paying
them over $24. 900 per annum. can we
not pool some of our consumption and offer
Inducements to capitalists to organize COM
panies that shall be assured of a profitable
trade and that shall be free from such mis-
management as the present famine reveals
In tfs control of the paper trade?
IF 1t were possible to pool a consump-
ton of 800 tons per day for period Of
five years It Is fair to assume that capital
could be found that would insure reason
able price to the. publisher. I am author
lied by one customer to say he can assure
an order for sl.0OoOoo worth Of paper
Election Of Officers.
Officers were elected as foilows:
President. c. H. Taylor. jr.. Of the Bos-
ton Globe
Vice president 9. 8. Rogers. Chicago