New-York tribune., 1907-11-08
PAPER TARIFF MAY GO.
PRESIDENTS AID LIKELY.
Jfr. RooseUeH Hears Publishers
Compl0ints against Makers.

Washington Nov. President Roosevelt in
dfcated to-day 70 members of the committee on
paper Of the American Newspaper Publishers
Association that he will recommend TO Congress
the abolition Of the tariff on press paper, wood
pulp and the wood that goes into the manufac-
rure Of paper; also. that he will make a recon-
rnendation 10 the Department of Justice that IT
take immediate steps 10 ascertain whether the
antitrust laws are being disobeyed by the
manufacturers of paper
The promise of the recommendations by the
President was obtained after he had listened TO
tho representations Of the members Of the COM
rnittee and to petition from the national or
Eanizations Of printers, stereotypers, pressmen
and etchers, all of which set forth the evidence
Of a combination the part Of the manufac-
turers Of paper for the purpose of controlling
the output, regulating and greatly increasing the
price and otherwise making burdensome resu-
lations governing the source of supply and de-
livery Of paper.
CHARGES MADE BY PUBLISHERS.
The call upon the President was made in pur-
isuance Of the following resolutions adopted by
the American Newspaper Publishers Associa-
tion al a special meeting held in New York
September 10:
In view Of the information submitted 10 the
American Newspaper Publishers Association by It's
Tnafions Of paperInakers have been organized re
Gently that artificial stimulation of prices mas beeh
ACCOMPLISHED and that judicial prohibition OF slch
efforts has been disoheyed, the American News
PAPER m sner 10 invite the attention the
President and department. OF Justice to these m9{e
of trade. and give this instruction 10 'he CONF
First-That the authority Of existing statutes for
repression Of trade combinations may os my tio,
Second-That the defiance of recent luqicati ro''T IN
prohibiting participation IN sucl ,5 c4lll3'lio" -
'eTa Tfsfer the PTesdent @ may be put
session OF Information whlcn SaIt tsrJf favors by
Resolved That It is the sense of this meeting that
the duty printing paper Wood pup anu an n5er s
terial entering the manufacture OF PiIhu"s P"P''
should be Immediately repeated
The committee which called on the President
1,v appointment to-day included John Norris. of
..The New York Tines; MedM Mccormick
of 1.-The Chicago Tribune; George Thompson,
of THE St Paul Dispatch; Delevan Smith. of
'-The indianapolis News; John c. Eastman.
Of THE Chicago Journal; Walter Page, Of
Worlds Work: Dr. Albert Shaw, Of The
Review of Reviews Z. ]. Ridgway and the
presidents Of the national organizations of the
Allied Printing Trades.
The history and facts which make up the
protest were presented by Mr.. Mccormick after
which the President indicated the action he
would take. An investigation of the so-caIled
Paper Trust has been in progress for some time
by the Department of Justice, and it is under
AAi4AA4NNA-eNNo-s
the facts which have been ascertaned up to
the present time.
The appreciation Of the association
pressed to the President at the action taken by
the federal government last year IN ordering the
dissolution of the General Paper Company His
attention was then called to what termed
conspiracy, by which, il alleged the makers
OF news print paper have arranged for an ad-
vance Of So ton upon the supply of that
article for the current year. and for an addi-
tionaI advance next year averaging SO a ton.
This, IT was explained. means a burden imposed
on the printing industry of the country of S1O,
100000 for the present and S19OO00OO for the
coming year.
The excuse for the advances on the part Of
the paper makers is that the cost Of wood and
labor have increased. This excuse was met in
the argument TO the President by the state
ment that the published report of the largest
manufacturer Of news print paper gives the
increased cost Of material and manufacture in
Guiding expense of administration and sales, as
about "a cents ton.
FORMATION OF POOL ALLEGED.
The President was told that the present plan
of increasing the price Of paper had its in
ception twelve years ago. in a proposition to
unite the paper mills into one pool or corpora
tion. The first step IN the programme it was
stated WAS accomplished Nnen Ine promoters
induced Congress to fix tariff duty Of Sc a ton
news print paper. 1t is this tariff it is
understood, the President has promised to urge
Congress to repeal.
The next step. the President was told has
Just been consummated by the creation Of
combination to exhaust the surplus stock Of
paper, TO cause paper famine and TO raise
prices
The President further informed that after
the disbandment. by order of the court Of the
General Paper Company various meetings Of
Eastern and Western manufacturers have been
held TO stimulate prices and to limit the con-
tract price. A conference of Eastern manu-
facturers was held in New York during the first
week Of last September, when the last advance
facturers who had previously solicited the busi-
ness Of various newspapers have withdrawn all
quotations
Publishers who apply for quotations realize
that in some intangible way their supply has
been predetermined and the price they are TO
pay arranged for them. In each case the state
ment continued, the publisher finds that all bids
finds that he has remedy against the supply
OF inferior paper Publishers who make inquiry
of mill find that the others have been ad-
vised of that inquiry.
New selling agencies. representing an aggre-
cation of previously independent mills 1t was
stated, have merged the output Of these mills
The source Of supply of numerous newspapers
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