The Washington herald., 1907-11-23

White paper the kind upon which news
papers are printed, has become an abso-
lutte necessity OF modern life. For the
first time the United States is face TO face
with absolute exhaustion of one OF It's
great natural resources. Within ten years
the trees which are now being used for
making white paper viii be exhausted in
the United States. Canadas supply viii
not be sufficient TO meet the demand for
more than twenty years longer. There
We're Millions Of acres Of spruce and pop
lar bnt ii must be remembered that one
New York newspaper alone requires thirty
acres of spruce forest every day 10 feed
its never-ceasing presses.
Forests must be replanted: that is one
solution OF the problem Other kinds or
wood must be employed. and the gov
eminent is conducting exhaustive expert
ments with that end IN view. Some other
material than wood pulp must be utilized
for paper-making. and the great majority
Of experts incline 20 that view. They look
forward to the time. not far in the future.
when the paper mills will look TO some
annual crop for their raw material. Corn
stalks make good paper. and successful
experiments have been made with cotton
stalks. These industries have not yet
been developed 10 a position OF CONNER
cial Importance. but II is in this direction
that the experts are looking with hopeful
eyes.
In the meantime the crisis IS here. For
ests cannot he regroWn in a day, nor in
a decade. Something must be done now.
The newspaper publishers are insisting
that the tariff duties on pulp be removed,
so that the products of TIE Canadian for
ests may come in free. They made an ap-
peal TO President Roosevelt, and he has
promised that ne will urge Congress 10
repeal the duty, not in the interest Of de-
creasing the price OF white paper 20 the
publishers, but that the forests Of this
country may be relieved OF the exhaust
ing demand being made upon them
The American Protective Tariff League.
perhaps the best organized propaganda
in the country, has awakened TO old
time activity and is flooding the country
with literature opposing any break in the
tariff wall for whatever reason. The tar
III revisionists in various parts Of the
country, hopeful Of support OF the news
papers who feel the burden, and en-
cOuraSed by the attitude Of the PresI-
dent, are no less active. although they
lack organization They viii attempt to
make the repeal OF the tariff on paper
and pulp the entering wedge Of tariff re-
form. Politically. the paper question viii
assume great Importance in the coming
session OF Congress. 1t is certain to be
much talked about, although the fact
that the Presidential election will come
next year. and that Speaker Cannon is a
"stand-patter," may prevent the issue
getting beyond the talking stage
Another side to the tariff question that
ic Of the utmost Importance 20 the people
OF the United States is entirely beyond
their control. Canada is not prevented,
as this country is. by any fundamental
law. from levying duties on exports. The
export duty reprisals with which the Ca
madam government met the DingIey bill
tariff schedule may be extended to the
absolute prohibition Of expectation OF
pulp wood or pulp from Canada. The
agitation for this extreme measure IS
gaining ground with our brothers to the
North. They know they have the neces-
sary wood and if they will not permit it
10 be shipped out. then the paper mills
the paper there. The Canadians desire
more manufacturing industries, and they
are none too kindly disposed toward the
States in business rivalry
While the scientists are looking for new
paper-making materials. while the poll
tcians are quarreling over the tariff, and
while the paper mills are crying that they
are on the verge of destruction. the
newspapers are forced TO pay more for
paper every time they buy. The price
has advanced an average of So a ton in
twelve months, and another increase Of
$40 ton is predicted for the next twelve
months. Among the newspapers the
question is becoming acute. Shall the
price of the paper be increased. or shall
the size Of the paper be reduced? These
are the questions which newspaper pub
fishers are discussing but to which no
general answer has yet been given
In Chicago the price OF some Of the
Sunday papers has been increased from
8 TO cents One Pittsburg daily has in
creased the price from l to 2 cents. Many
l-cent dailies in smaller cities have in
creased the price. The Decent magazines
are adding cents to the price. and the
general tendency is to decrease the actual
loss on circulation. The newspaper men
are practically a unit in ho,,ing for a
decrease in the price of paper. so that
neither increase IF price or reduction in
size will be necessary
On the other hand, the paper mills
complain that the price Of raw material
has advanced so sharDlv that labor cos+s