The sun., 1908-04-14
No CASE AGAINST PAPER TRUST.
Evidence Found Thus Far Not Suficlent TO
Convict, Says the Attorney General.

Convict, says the AltOrneys6eneral.
WASHINGTON, April l3-The complete
information desired by Speaker Cannon
as TO the steps taken to punish the com
binaton Of paper manufacturers for alleged
violation OF the antitrust laws is not forth
coming from Attorney General Bonaparte.
The Cannon resolution was an incident
OF the demand upon the Speaker by certain
publishers that he favor legislation placing
wood pulp on the free list. The publishers
Gssert that the removal Of the duty would
force the price Of print paper downward.
Mr. Bonaparte in his reply TO the resolution,
sent to the Speaker OF the House to-day,
says that there Is as yet no conclusive
evidence that the recent advance In the
price Of print paper is due to the evil
Vaccinations Of a trust. MIR Bonaparte
says In his letter:
Il have the honor to state that several
weeks ago all evidence and information
relating TO the subject matter IN the pos
session OF this Department vera referred
TO the United States Attorney Of the ap-
proprate district with orders to make
or have made by a Grand Jury Of the said
district a thorough investigation Of the
matters in question. The said United
States Attorney was further instructed,
II sufficient evidence could be thus OBJ
tanned, to institute at once suitable pro-
ceedngs In the Federal court having juris-
diction in the premises with a view to
Furnishing any offending parties and to
secure in future strict obedience in this re-
spect to the statute Of the United States
generally known as the Sherman antitrust
law.
'Up to the present time no evidence has
been obtained by the officers Of this De-
partment sufficient to justify the institu-
ton Of legal proceedings, either civil or
criminal, against any alleged combination
Of wood pulp or print paper manufacturers.
The information obtained, however, justifies
further investigation Of the facts, and such
investigation is in progress.
1T would be ineXpedient at the present
stage Of this investi CATION to disclose to
the public specifically what steps have
been taken or what action is contemplated
by this Department with respect to matters
mentioned in the said resolution. Alleged
facts were submitted 10 this Department
when the above mentioned investigation
was commenced, which apparently au-
thorzed the belief that serious and readily
proven offences against the laws OF the
United States had been committed IN the
premises, and immediate ACTON Dy tne
appropriate officer was thereupon promptly
ordered, but these orders disclosed that
no legal proof could be secured Of the
alleged offences, the evidence relied upon
to establish them turning out TO be merely
hearsay and the complainant himself re-
fusing TO give the name Of a witness sup
posed to have personal knowledge OF the
said facts.
Information showed an undoubted
general and considerable increase in the
prices Of certain kinds Of paper, but that
such increase was due TO any contract,
combination or conspiracy in restraint OF
trade was a matter OF conjecture and sus-
picion only, although it seemed proba ble
that proof to establish this might be found
through a searching and judicious inquiry.
i regret that the public Interest pre-
vents me from fully aud promptly com
plying with the request contained IN the
above mentioned resolution