Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-05-07
A BIG INCREASE
In Cost Of Paper Is Stated BY Pub
fishers on the Stand.


the association asks of Congress is the
repeal of the duty on mechanically
ground wood pulp and on print paper
valued at not over two cents a pound,
The question of the tariff on the finer
grades of paper he said was not under
consideration. He also explained the
reason why the newspaper publishers
ask for legislation at this time and ask
that an exception be made in tariff leGis-
lation on print paper and wood pulp.
During the course Of the day Chairman
Mann made a statement Of the situation
as it appeared to him and ELECTED from
Mr.. Norris the remark: I'VE could not
present a better statement than you have
made for u.s.
| Chairman Mann's statement followed a
remark by Mr. Norris to the effect that
| the reason Congress should make excep-
| tions for newspapers at this time is that
| the price of a newspaper is like the price
of the postage stamp and cannot be al
tered to suit the varying conditions of
| the market.
| Chairman Mann said: ut does not
make any difference about the scent pa
per or the Scent paper, for that matter.
The ordinary price being from ! cent to
5 cent per copy and the usual price being
1 cent to cents and I presume the most
common price being l cent there is no
way of increasing to a slight degree, or
small percentage, the daily price of the
paper: you cannot increase 1-cent paper
without making it 2-cent paper as far
| as the street price is concerned. OF
course YOU can make distinction in the
price it is sold by the week. but rs far
| as the street price is concerned there
is no difference. There is no amount be-
tween one and two cents; it is one or two.
Hence you cannot add to the cost of the
paper ordinarily, in selling. a small in
crease in the cost Of production; is that
correct?"
THAT is correct replied Mr.. Norris.
1--WE could not present better statement
than YOU have made for U.S.
"Of course" continued Mr.. Mann.
that is the side of the case as it seems
to me. We have had the boot and boot
shoe proposition up. The shoemakers
want free hides in the main, as I take
1t, because a large number of them are
selling particular quality of shoe at an
advertised price, which they could not
conveniently change; but here is a case
where the cost of the paper probably rep.
resents in the neighborhood of one-hall
of the selling price of the paper: in
some cases probably more than that and
some cases less, and where you cannot
make slight increase and where a con-
siderable increase in cost is very diff.
cult to meet in the increase of the sell.
| fnU nripa that iS otb
claim differentiates the publication of the
ordinary newspaper from any other line
of Production"
Precisely" replied Mr.. Norris
Frank =. MacLennan, publisher of the
Daily State Journal of Topeka. Kan, wa:
: the first witness. He said that when tn.
. combination of paper makers was form
ed the publishers We're told not to get ex
cited as it would result in their benef
in the end. His contract for paper a
that time. he said was s1.34 per hundred
> pounds at the mill. This contract rar
from September 1857, to September, 1906
When the contract expired the best figure
he could get on new contract was $1S
at the mill.
Mr. MacLennan said his paper was Re
publican in politics and he thought tn,
passage of the Stevens bill removing tn,
duty on wood pulp and print paper would
: benefit the whole country, including tn,
| publishers.
Samuel Bowles of the Springfield, Mass
Republican, said he was now paying 5
per hundred on a three-years oontrac
which expires July 1 next. The hest prize
he could make after July was $40. H,
had received a letter from the agent O
Canadian mill quoting him a price O
1921 if the duty should be removed.
Mathew s. Dwyer of the Providence r
; l. Tribune stated that his company wa
now paying $3.50 per hundred for paper
beginning March l. In 1907 he said, tn
price was $3.50
John D. Plummer Of the Springfield
Mass, Union said that Oct 16. 1907, h
had received a letter from the sale
agent Of the International Paper ca
stating that that company would be un
able to furnish him paper at the expira
ton of the existing contract as the ton
mage for that division had been curtail
ed. After much trouble. he said, he oh
tanned a contract from the j. R. Boot
Co. of Ottawa, Can, for s. 80 delivere
III SpTlnShelo vi $I.ov at the mil. ina
contract also provided that in the even
the duty was removed the newspaper
should receive a SO per cent. benefit c
such reduction.
Frederick r. Martin, editor and bus
ness manager of the Providence, r.
Journal, testified that his company wa
, now paying $3.50 under a 5-year contrao
which expires Jan. /, 1911 In 1906. he sait
the price was s2.o5: 1907, s2.1o; 1905. s2.5'
, land have the assurance" he continued
, "of the New England sales agent Of tn
International Paper Co. that the price |
more likely to be 50 than 81 next year."
"Well. you can have our assurance tina
, TT probably will not be- said Chairrna
} Mann.