The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-11-08
TO FIGHT PAPER (
MAKERS TRUST
ROOSEVELT WILL ASK CONGRESS-
TO ABOLISH A TARIFF.
THE UBIQUITOUS METHODS
OF the Combination that Controls the
Manufacture Of Print Paper in
This Country are Told
in Detail.

Washington. Nov. S.-President
Roosevelt on Thursday indicated to
members 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 manu-
facture of paper; also that he will rec.
ommend to the department of justice
that il take immediate steps to ascer.
tain whether the antitrust laws are
being disobeyed by the manufacturers
of paper.
The president was told that the pres.
ent plan of increasing the price of pa.
per had its inception 12 years ago In
a proposition to unite the paper mills
into one pool or corporation. The first
step in the program was accomplished
when the promoters induced congress
to fix tariff duty of So ton on news
print paper. 1t is this tariff which the
president has promised to urge con
gress to repeal. The next step, which
encountered many delays. has just
been consummated by the creation of
a combination to exhaust the surplus
stock of paper. to cause paper fam.
Inc and to raise prices.
The president was further informed
that. after the disbandment, by order
of the court, of the General Paper Co..
meetings of eastern and western man
ufacturers were held to stimulate
prices and to limit the contract period.
A conference of eastern manufacturers
was held in New York during the first
week OF September last, when the last
advance in prices was decided upon.
Since that time manufacturers who
had previously solicited the business
of various newspapers have Withdrawn
all quotations. Publishers who apply
for quotations realize that in some way
their supply has been predetermined
and the price they are to pay also ar.
ranged for them.
In each case the publisher finds that
all bids but one are at a prohibitory
price. He also finds that he has no
remedy against the supply of inferior
paper. Publishers who make inquiry
of one mill find that the others have
been advised of that inquiry. New
selling agencies, representing an ag-
gregation of previously Independent
mills, have merged the output of those
mills. The source of supply of numer-
Gus newspapers has been arbitrarily
diverted from one mill to another
without the consent of the publisher.
Jobbers who apply to selling agents
or to mills for quotations are forced
to disclose the name of the customer
and the purpose for which the paper is
to be used. When this disclosure is
made iobbers find that satisfactory
quotations can be obtained from but
one mill in the country Mill men
and paper statesmen have admitted
that an agreed scale had been adopted
II was represented that Canadian
mills can and do pay the Sc per ton
duty and still find IL profitable to sell
in the United States At the same time
the American mills are selling abroad
in competition with Canada, Great
Britain, Germany and Norway. 1t was
stated to the president that the paper
makers operating fairly equipped mills
have made large profits during the
past ten years at prices averaging less
than $40 "A ton and that selling price
of between $55 and $50 per ton, as now
proposed, would mean a daily tribute
! of $4,000 paid by the paper consum
| ers to the alleged combination.
Evidence is 'obtainabe in govern
ment records, 1t is claimed. that paper
, mills in the United States and Canadf
are making paper at a cost of less thar
| S2S per ton. Much mystification hat
been attempted, It was assured, tC
show that the cost of labor had greatly
4, increased, but this was refuted by the
statement thtat the entire cost of labol
| in the manufacture of ton OF papel
amounted to less than $2.40. Not one