Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-06
THE RISE IN PRICE
Publishers Tell About the Cost
of Paper.
DENOUNCED AS INCORRECT

Publishers of newspapers appeared to-
day before the House committee investi-
eating the wood pulp and print paper
question.
Frank p. MacLennan. publisher of the
Daily State Journal Of Topeka, Kas.,
stated that when the combination OF pa
per makers was formed the publishers
were told not to get excited. as 1t would
result in their benefit in the end His
contract price for paper at that time. he
said. was $.34 per hundred pounds at
the mill.
This contract he said. ran from Sep
TENDER. 1897. to September. 1898. When
renew 1t at that price. The best figure
he could get in making a new contract
was s1.S5 at the mill. On that and pre-
ceding contracts he had been allowed g
per cent discount for cash. but during the
last five years the prices have been made
net
Mr.. MacLennan told of his difficulty in
securing new contracts and submitted to
the committee figures which were furnish
ed to Representative Calderhead of Kan
sas. member of the ways and means
committee. by Frank Gilbert president OF
the Frank Gilbert Paper Company OF
Waterford. N. Y. and also a stakeholder
in the International Paper Company
These figures, Mr.. MacLennan said, as
tOnished him. because of their incorrect
ness. According to them the selling price
of news paper in 1897 was $2.34
Mr.. MacLennan said that in that year
he was paying $1.34 at the mill. The fig
selling price was $215. In that year.
said the witness. there was a great fuc-
tuation in the price of paper. In the
early portion he bought paper for $1.9l
and In the latter part for 500
MacLennan said his paper was republican
In politics and he thought the passage OF
the Stevens BILL removing the duty on
wood pulp and print paper, would bene-
fit the whole country, including the pub
fishers.
Mr.. Bowles' Experience.
Samuel Bowles of the Springfield
(Mass) Republican said he was now pay
ing 81 per hundred pounds on a three
years contract which expires July 1 next.
The best price he could make after July
1 was $40. This was for paper delivered
on the sidewalk at Springfield. The low
est price he ever paid for paper, he said,
was 81 95 per hundred pounds. This was
before the international Paper Company
was fully organized. He had paid as high
as 81. 50. He had received q letter from
the agent of q Canadian mill quoting him
a price of $2.3l II the duty should be re-
moved.
Mathew s. Dryer OF the Providence.
r. ]. Tribune stated that his company
| was now paying $2.5O for paper, begin
ming March 1. In 1907. he said, the
price was s2.2O Previous to that time
| the contract was for $40 delivered In
| Springfield.
Notice From International.
John ID. Plummer of the Springfield
Mass. Union. the last witness. examined
before the luncheon recess, stated that
October 10. 1907. he had received q let
ter from the sales agent of the ln.rrna-
| tional Paper Company stating thac the
company would be unable to furnish
him paper at the expiration of the ex-
| listing contract. as the tonnage COR tnat
division had been curtailed. After much
trouble. he said. he had obtained a con-
tract from the J. r. Booth Company of
Ottawa. Canada for $3.50 delivered in
Springfield or $3.50 at the mill.
That contract also provided that in the
event the duty was removed the news
paper should receive 50 per cent benefit
Of such reduction.
The Union. he said. was a republican
paper and believed in a protective tariff
where it was necessary, but he did not
believe there should be a duty on wood
pulp.
He did not expect that the removal OF
this duty would inure to the injury OF
the American mills. 1T is very evident
he said, that the International Paper
Company is taking advantage Of this
situation and is lining things up so 1t Is
getting all there Is in it,