New-York tribune., 1908-05-01
THE PAPER INQUIRY.
John Norris and General Feli1
11gnus Heard bu Committee.

Washington April 30-A mass of data bearing
on what he charged to be combination of paper
makers was furnished to-day by John Norris to
the committee of the House which Is investigating
the price of news print paper. General Felix Ag-
nus of The Baltimore American also testified.
Mr. Norris offered in evidence of clip
pings from newspapers and paper trade Journals,
designed he said TO explain why the publishers
had been influenced making statements with
respect combinations These were mostly dated
in 1907. The challenge. he ccntended, was thrown
down the publishers that there. would be an
increase III the price of news print paper through
an editorial of March Il, 1907. in THE Paper Trade
Journal"
rs that evidence of threat" Mr. Mann in
uuired 'or Just slam of their sde?'
Distinctly a challenge" the witness replied
which assertion, he said. borne out by the
announcement that paper going to three cents
a pound. and that it would be two years before
newspapers could get themselves ready 10 break
a combination of that character.
One of the clippings referred to Mr.. Hanrahan.
of No. 26 Broadway. New York. as having had
something to do with forming Paper trust
rs not No IS Broadway The home of the Stand
ard Oil Company Mr.. Sims inquired
Il don't think he had anything to do with the
Standard Oil Company" Mr. Norris replied.
rs it possible" inquired Mr.. Mann, with much
surprise for anybody to live that close to No.
2s Broadway without becoming contaminated by
the Standard Oil Company?
1T all depends replied the witness, amid laugh
ter, whether it is a newspaper man or a Con
gresham
Mr. Mann asked the witness: Suppose Mr. Han
raban was proposing to organize a corporation for
the Dl1rpose of endeavoring purchase the diff
ferent Western mills and in pursuance of that
purpose asked and received permission to examine
their books and their .plants-would you claim
there was anything improper. so far as the mills
were concerned. in permitting the examination to
be made"
iii not Mr.. Hanrahau had
perfect right to buy twenty mills If he desired
THE point make" said he, is that the owners
of twenty mills have right TO act in concert
for a period of nine months and regulate prices
and dc other things TO the injury or detriment OF
paper consumers while such negotiations are pend
Ing bv them either individually or collectively,
with Mr.. Hanrahan'
Mr. Mann remarked that the witness had oeen
directed TO the whole subject OF paper
whereas all that had been said was confined to the
,,r,oti,, and publishing interests. and thereby
absolutely misled-you misled YOURSELF Mr Mann
said he was Mortified when one of his newspaper
friends wrote him that his paper bill would be IN
creased and that s65,0OO0oo would be added to the
nrinting and magazine publishing business In one
year. -.
we do not claim said Mr. Norris, that the
,or.ase is confined to the printing and publishing
busness but that it applies To computation Oh
the burdens which all the paper COMBINATIONS
ai,,o7 20 ip,nose upon all paper consumers
Won disavaw that commented Mr.. Mann. ana
vet nv friend got that information from Mr. hld-
der's letter and accepted ii as an absolutely truth
f,I fact OF course, he said. we don hoiu you
1esnoDsibIe for Mr. Ridder letter.
Mr. Norris asserted. however. that he was
tI1i, IN accept responsibility for a considerable
part of that letter.
on further inquiries by the chairman aliii'ah 'es'7
the statement contained in Mr. Riders letter MI
,-;s said that 10 the extent the manufacturers
I'D restricted the burdens merely to the printing
and nnhshinS interests. that Was inaccurate.
lint he said. to the extent that they piahheu
an additional burden of s6o.tHa.c"o on paper con
,,,o-z u ia entirely accurate so far as fair
.s,,p,atr could be made of that situation
.You may say 1t fairly accurate, remarked