Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1908-04-27
Hastens to Offer Official Testi-
mony at Pretended In
vestigation.
PUBLISHER IS HEARD
Makes Clear Presentation OF
Manner in Which Buyers
Are Held Up.

Washington, April 27.-The, select
committee of the house appointed by
Speaker Cannon to inquire into the
complaint of the American Newspaper
Publishers association regarding the
price of print paper in the United
States, continued its hearing today.
other Side willing.
At the outset Chairman Mann an
nounced the receipt of a letter from
President Burbank of the International
Paper company expressing a complete
willingness to send to Washington
suitable officials with full informa-
ton regarding the affairs of this com
pany as you will be apt to wish
Hearing Is Begun.
Washington, April 27.-Fighting at
close quarters began Saturday between
the forces contending for the consid-
Grafton of the Stevens free wood pulp
bill and the house triumvirate which
is determined to throttle that measure
by means of pretended investigation
of the print paper industry. A dele
cation of nearly half hundred, con-
stituting special committee of the
American Newspaper Publishers as
sociation, arrived in Washington to
tell Speaker Cannons special commit
tee of the house all it wanted to know
about the paper situation. The inyes-
tigation committee was unprepared for
such sudden commencement of pro-
ceedings, but nevertheless started, the.
hearing.
New York Manager Heard.
John Norris, business manager of
the New York Times, speaking for
the Publishers association as whole,
was before the committee throughout
the afternoon, first presenting an elab-
crate statement of the reasons why
legislation, and not a prolonged COM
mittee investigation designed to pre-
vent the consideration of legislation
during the present session of con-
gress, ought to be taken up. Later
Mr.. Norris testified as to his personal
knowledge of the cost of producing
paper, the increase in prices to con
sumers, actual and prospective, and
many other things about which mem
bers of the committee asked questions
Mann Rcsents Charges.
Chairman Mann, Speaker Cannon's
specially chosen inquisitor, at the out
set assumed a manner Indicating that
the publishers of the country might
be regarded as the defendants in the
case instead of those forming the pa
per manufacturers combine Mr.
Mann appeared to resent the charge;
the publishers have made, such resent
ment on his part being a sympatheti,
connection with Speaker Cannon's dis
turbed tranquility over the necessit.
of having to provide for an investiga
tion that nobody, including himself
cared for, in order to sidetrack a pop
ular demand action in conformit.
with recomp Ations by Presiden
Roosevelt. 1T
MaJoi want Action.
In spite of investigation that ha
been provided for the obstEuctors O
legislation are not out of the woods
1t is more apparent than ever now tha
clear majority of the members O
the house want action on the Steven
bill, or some kindred measure. Thi
being the case, it likewise is becon
ing apparent that members cannot re
turn to their constituents aud Civ
the Cannon investigation as an excus
for not acting.
Argument Given Quictusa
One of the leading argument
against placing wood pulp on nfre
list-that Canada would retaliate b
an export tax on wood pulp-is knoeI
ed out. by advices received here frol
high official sources in the Dominion