Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-05-07
Up AGAINST STONE. WALL
Competition Said to Have Disap.
peared.
ESPIONAGE ON JOURNALISTS
W. E. Gardner Says That His Pro.
longed Quest for Paper Was
Known in New York.

eating the wood pulp and print paper
question heard additional publishers of
| newspapers today regarding the increase
in the price of their paper
w. f. Gardner. publisher of the Post
| Standard. Syracuse. ~ Y. testified that
he has paid from Sl.73 To $50 per hum
dred pounds. The lower rate. he said.
was due to local reasons. Mr. Gardner
said that after he had broken with the
International Paper Company that COM
pany endeavored to prevent him from
getting bids from any competitive source.
Describing the difficulty he experienced
in making a contract for 1908. he said
that. Notwithstanding the fact that he had
the assurances of a number of paper
mills that they would be glad to have
his order. when the time came to make
the contract he met obstacle after OBJ
stacle. and although he went from New
| York to Wisconsin and then to Canada
| he could not get any satisfaction. Finally,
! he said. he was compelled to make con-
| tract at $50 with II. G. Craig & Co.,
| who had named him this figure before
he started on his tour of the mills.
IT was up against a stone wall. he
continued. land my movements In the
west and Canada were known in New
| York
Mr.. Gardner said that in his opinion.
the increase in the price of paper was
| due to the shortage of the wood pulp
| supply and through combination OF the
paper mills. and such comparison OF
| cost that made it impossible for me to
| go into an open market at all"
Mr.. Gardner said that the increased
price of paper would cost him $4,000 to
$24.O0O this year over last year. and to
obliged to increase his advertising rates
and cut down the size of his paper.
Mr.. Gardner did not thing that the re-
moval of the tarin on print paper would
have any appreciate effect upon our
market but he said he would very much
like to see the duty removed for whatever
| practical good may follow and for the
notice to the offenders that the govern,
| ment was ION to them"
I'm your judgement then there are Of
| fenders?" said Mr.. Sims.
Yes. sir" replied the witness.
Mr.. Gardner said he did not believe II
possible for the American supply of pulp
wood to meet the demand in the future.
Publisher Bunnell's Experience.
| Mile Bunnell. publisher Of the Duluth
| (Minn.). News-Tribune. told the same
story that had been related by his pred
ecessors on the stand-'the constantly
increasing cost Of paper to the newspapers
and the impossibility of buying from any
but a particular MILL
From my experience in making con-
tracts" he said II do not think there is
any real competition among the millmen.
have never been able to buy paper ex-
| what was the reas given to you for
increasing the price," asked Mr.. Sims.
| Scarcity of paper and increase OF de-
mand." was the reply. They did not at
tion was any more in our country. because
they do not pay any more for pulp wood
| now than they did when we were getting
the low rate. In fact. they are not pay
producer as they did a year ago
why do you say II costs them less now
than 1t did year ago." asked Mr.. Sims
| The cost of labor Is less, for one rea-
| son." replied Mr. Bunnell.
| The witness said that the cost OF pa.
per to the News-Tribune had advanced
from $1.871e prior to 1902 to $2p. In
the former years. too, he said. the mills
| allowed per cent discount for cash
| but this practice had been discontinued
| Mr. Bunnell said he had tried to buy
paper in the east. but could not get a
rate there that would compare with the
rate he was paying. and although there
were other mills In Minnesota. he was
never able to buy from them. In fact.
he said the representatives Of these
mills had advised him to continue with
the company he was dealing with.
Mr. Bunnell was on the stand Wheh
the luncheon recess was taken.
At Yesterday afternoons session F. NJ
Messler of the Asheville Gazette-News
| and R. w Pillsbury Of the Manchester
| Union told of increased prices OF paper.
Mr.. Norris Contention.
| At the conclusion of Mr.. Pillsbury's
statement John Norris said he was In
| position to say for the American News
papers Publishers Association that the re-
pea! of the duty on mechanically ground
| wood pulp and print paper valued at not
over cents a pound would adequately
cover all of tine requests which the pub
fishers have in mind In asking for relief
| on the tariff.
Figures were presented by Mr.. Norris
showing that when paper famine was
threatened I'm this country the exports OF
paper from the United States TO Mexico.
Cuba. Argentina Italy and Japan had
increased Our claim is. said Mr.. Nor
ris. that by reason OF gathering orders
from abroad and putting them into cana l.
dian mills they were enabled to practical
w stop the competition on material ano
reduce the possibilities of competition or
the Canadian mills with the plans which