Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-30
BURDEN ON THE BUYER.
Alleged Increased Cost to
Consumers of Paper.
Mr.. BIDDERS ESTIMATE
Chairman Claims That Statement Is
Hisleading.
COMMITTEE INQUIRY RESUMED
Gen. Agnus Tells of Advance of $12
a Ton in Price Charged Him by
International Company.
Mr.. RIDDER's ESTIMATE
INQUIRY RESUMED

Individual newspa4 publishers were
present today before the House special
committee which is investigating the price
of news print paper, prepared to give
testimony in the case. Before they were
heard however. John Norris of New York.
representing the American Newspaper
Publishers Association. was permitted to
continue his presentation of facts which
was begun Saturday last In response
10 request by Chairman Mann. Mr..
Norris laid before the committee various
circular letters which had'be issued at
different times by the association on the
subject of the price of paper, copies of
which had been mailed to President
Roosevelt and others.
Mr. Mann put into the record letters re-
ceived by him from the International
Brotherhood of Pulp. Sulphite and Paper
Mill Workers and Director North OF the
census bureau. and also kilograms from
David 9. COwles. president of the Amerl-
can Paper and Pulp Association. asking
the opportunity to be heard. Both Mr..
North and Mr.. Cowles announced that
they desired to deny certain statements
made by the publishers association.
Mr.. Riders Statement.
DO you claim as a matter of fact"
Mr. Mann asked, that the statement in
Mr.. Riders letter of March 4. 1908. to
President Roosevelt. in hich he said that
there was practically a combination to
put an additional burden of $6O.C0O.OW
per annum upon the printing and pub
fishing interests of the country. is true!
Yes, SIR the witness responded and.
answering a further question: said that
the news print paper represented the
great bulk of the paper made.
You don't figure that blotting paper or
ppiv MAJ Is
paper. do you?' asked Mr.. Mann.
The witness that he did so regard them.
How about wall paper?
Mr.. Norris replied that it was intended
to include all consumers in the advance.
and he put the question to Mr.. Mann II
he thought it material whether the $50
OO,O00 increase planned was confined to
the printing or publishing. or confined to
paper consumers.
II think it is extremely material" Mr..
Mann replied. las to whether this $780,
100000 burden is on one thing or every
thing in the United States"
Mr. Norris said that if it related to
paper makers who are in combination
:. land who are in combination In such
ways that the taking of their machines
OF of one kind of paper and putting
nese'' it was a factor to be considered.
Mr.. Mann remarked that the witness
had been directed to cover the whole SUBJ
ject of paper. whereas all that had been
Establishing interests. and thereby abb
solutely misled-you misled myself" Mr.
Mann said he was Mortified when one of
mis- newspaper friends wrote him that his
paper bill would be increased, and that
s6J 600. 600 would be added to the print
ing and magazine publishing business in
one year.
Burden on Paper Consumers.
We do not claim" said MIR. Norris.
that the increase is confined to the print
ing and publishing business. but that it
applies to a computation of the burdens
q which all the paper combinations aimed
to impose upon all paper consumers"
You disavow that commented Mr..
. Mann. land yea my friend got that in
= formation from Mr.. Riders letter and
= accepted IT as an absolutely truthful fact.
responsible for Mr. Riders letter."
Mr. Norris asserted. however. that he
was willing to accept responsibility for a
very considerable part of that letter and
added: Il have no hesitation on that
. subject" He then read a letter from
the Manufacturers Paper Company ex-
pressing it's inability to take an order for
news print paper. but saying there has
. been corresponding increase of price OF
other grades of paper and consequently
there Is no use to turn from those
grades
Further questioned by the chairman re-
Riders letter. above referred to. Mr..
Norris said that to the extent that the
. manufacturers had restricted the bur-
dens merely to the printing and publish
ing interests that was Inaccurate; but.
= he said, ito the extent that they planned
an additional burden of $6O.OOOUW on
paper consumers, 1t is entirely accurate
so far as a fair estimate could be made
OF that situation.
.'You may say it was fairly accurate
remarked Mr.. Mann. IF Mr.. Ridder re-
ferred to the burdens of all consumers OF
paper in the United States"
Experience Of Gen. Agnus.
Mr.. Morris temporarily was excused and
Gen Felix Agnus, publisher of the Balti-
more American, took the stand. He tes-
titled that under a contract with the In
ternational Paper Company he had been
paying since January l., 1908. $3.50 pei
hundred pounds for print paper. Pre-
$3.50. the increase being $12 ton. The
paper. he said. was delivered on the side
walk. The price of 80 he paid for tive
years. From 1901 to 1905. under a FIVE
year contract with the Great Northern
Company. he paid 81 a hundred. His pur-
. chases have averaged 5000 tons a year.
January I. 1905 he changed 10 the Inter-
national Company. and got the price OF
go for two years, to December 81, 1907
when he made new contract with the
same company for one year at $3.50
The sudden RISE" he said was some
thing astonishing to me, and we did the
best we could. when we heard the price
was raised. to secure other terms from
other companies" He read a letter from
the Berlin company saying that company
had plenty and more than plenty of paper
TO meet the demand for 1908, but" the
Communication continued. due consdera-
ton. however, of the circumstances at
tending our negotiations of two years ago
lead us to decline to even consider a con-
tract with the American"
Gen. Agnus said he could hardly believe
the style Of the letter. 1T was merely a
SHIFT" he said. Ito satisfy their own con-
sciences" He made up his mind. he said,
that there was something in the wind .
He applied to the Vernon mills and was
told the supply was all being spoken for.
That mill had been soliciting his busine So
from time to time. he said, but '.all of a
sudden II stopped" He was satisfied from
this. he declared. that the paper makers
had combined.
A recess at this point was taken until 9
o'clock.
Yesterday Afternoons Session.
Mr.. John Norris. representing the paner
committee Of the American Newspaner
Publishers Association continued hi.
testimony yesterday afternoon and pre.
xented numerous letters and documents
to hear out his contention of a combine .
AN h> Ia