The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-07-17
PAPER men BUILT
ON ANAN|AS MODEL
INT|MATES RIDDER
Foe of Paper Combine Writes
Emphatic Letter to the
President.

~ ~HAA0V4S oVVVV1 w VAV
President.
New York, July 16.-1ntimating that
paper manufacturers have perjuged
themselves on the witness stand in
their denials of the existence of COM
binations and agreements in restraint
of trade, Herman Ridder has addressed
letter to President Roosevelt urging
him to aid in the effort to secure re-
lief from those wrongful practices.
MIR. Ridder shows that the course
OF print paper is closely associated
with that of other papers and says
agreed prices" now are being main
tanned by the manufacturers while
the mills are closed down. to the
detriment of labor.
The letter, in part, follows:
American Newspaper Publishers Asso-
cciation, World Building. New York. July
woke the aid Of your powerful office in
our effort to stop the expressions OF pa
per combinations? When the American
to congress for relief, we were told that
the courts would provide adequate and;
prompt remedy.
department of justice all the material
which we had relating to seven groups
OF paper makers. The outcome Of eight
Significant. Twenty-f -four (241 paper com-
panies. acting together in the Fibre and
Manila association. added SIG per ton to-
annual output of 1000 tons. in success
sive raises of S. g, 81. 50 and 81, so that
an an oaX oaXXerage addition of SO per ton or 81.
combination upon consumers.
When they were subjected to inquistioni
ers admitted that they had placed their,
records beyond their reach, but subse-:
qnently ali but two Of the participants
each. or $4,000 in all The maximum pen
atty is 5000 for each ofrense Immunity
was practically granted to every Individual
man, 'the treasuTer and Ao originator R Of the the,
pool. John H. Parks now fugitive in
Europe, was included in the Indictment
or partnerships
Miscarriage Of Justice.
We maintain that such finish to tho
bsn FMS Is a, *aaisscariage sa Of justice
extortion Of s2.ooO.oo0 it places a premium
upon lawlessness, and brings wildly to!
us, US re, realzation Of the hopelessness Of re-
when the United States district attorney,
,,.,l. uals urges leniency for the Corporations
case is from that of the ancient law, when
the Wrongdoer lost not only the property
which ,a,isi i he :, had wrongfuly taken, or the,
also all the rest Of his property was for
feited to the state Here, a corporationi
breaks the law, and it secures immunity
for the offending Individual.
So far as we have been able to learn. no
steps have been taken against the box
board pool, operated from the same office
Of John Il; Parks, or against the sulphite
Pulp association. whose bylaws and MEM
bership were submitted to the department.
OF Of justice nthe eight I months Is, ago, or against
the box board pool in 26 months included
Invoices sei of $s2 1000, with net profits Of
81 S35, ,652 on S53.6T tons.
Ihe hopelessnesS of our efforts for re-
ner may be appreciated when 1t is known:
al That 6. H. P. Gould appeared as
an Individual before the Mann committee
page 1011 of hearings) that he did not
know Of any agreement or Understanding
OF any Kind among the paper manufactur-
ers or the n, Sc selling agents to put q fixed or
the output: Yet on June Is. 1905 aths
of which II. P. Gould is president, pleaded
guilty to the Indictment charging the reg
ulation Of price and Of output in restraint
1906 ~ - : - - - e'''''"s '''i''enDe''
,(b) Tom T. Waller. vice president Of
the the int Internaiona nal Paper company
1sos before the Mann committee that the
international nteI. Paper company had not d.
peey or 10 through selling
rangement, and this statement applied to
,,.aaanny, grade Of paper, Yet on June Is.
1bs s MS exclusiye selling agent
pleaded guilty to the charge and the in.
dictment shows that the association voted
uniform price list to Mr.. Sparks Of the
| Union Bag and Paper company, and zone
to Mr.. Waller of the International Paper
(c) Officers operating Western Fibre
and Manila Mills appeared before the
Mann committee and testified that they
output or fixing prices, yet they did meet.
They did agree to close their mills for
they did so in disregard Of the prohibition
Of the United States court, dated June Is,
whoie preeeedi1S I tIayesty upon
the What Of the
wait before the news print paper per- user
will obtain relief?. Are prevarication and
as.s 81
courts to be ignored?
| The Fibre and Manila association, the
print paper situation. When mills which
can be changed to make news print paper
profitable in other directions by these
pooling arrangements. then their equip-
rs kep5 and out OF news print
is promoted. Meanwhile. the news print
paper paper companies are aiming to maintain
1
and are keeping their mills partially closed
because the consumers will not buy more
than hand to mouth supply at the pres-
ent high figures. Many. Of the mills are
running part time and their labor is cur
tailed, while Canadian mills are filling or
ders that should be made in American
mills. Canadian labor is employed while
American mills are continuing . test Of
endurance with their customers. Not only
are the paper makers keeping their own
employees in idleness. but they. are enforc-
ing idleness upon thousands OF workers in
printing p,,I Ing and publishing plants. through.
officers Of allied printing trades unions
upon that point is Overwhelming. I send
herewith copy OF the Indictment.
, In view Of the seeming immunity Of in.
divtduals. the inadequacy of penalties and
the apparent hopelessness Of relief, does
not this situation require drastic treat
ment? May we not ask you to bring the
= taw-breakers " to their senses. ana to eni
return OF prosperity? Yours truly.
Herman Ridder.
President American Newspaper Publish.
ers' Association.