Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-23
PUBLISHERS PROTEST
Ask for Action on Free Wood
Pulp-Print Paper Bill.
APPEAL TO THE HOUSE
Every Member Receives Vigorous
Demand.
CANNoN's PROPOSED INQUIRY
Investigation Denounced as a Sub
+ terfuge to Prevent Relief From
Power of the Trust.
CANN0N'S PROPOSED INQUIRY

Every member of the House today re-
ceived a telegram from the American
Newspaper Publishers Association meet
ing in New York as follows
THE American Newspaper Publishers
Association. in convention assembled. pro-
| tests against the subterfuge designed by
Cannon. Payne and Dalzell to prevent re-
lief from the extortion of the paper COM
bine. We ask that the Stevens bill. now
| throttled in the ways and means commit
tee. be put to a vote on the floor of the
House. We represent the seventh largest
industry in the United States. and have
| rights that Congress is bound to respect"
The Special Committee.
The special committee appointed by
Speaker Cannon to investigate the COM
plaint Of the newspaper publishers against
the paper trust WILL it is said, get to work
within few days and proceed diligently
with the inquiry, which is designed to dis
close all of the facts connected with the
alleged monopoly of the paper trust.
Speaker Cannon. 1T is stated. appointed
the committee with the view of obtaining
Its unbiased report. He refused to ap-
point on the committee men who repre-
scented sections where the paper industry
fiourfshes. and has named men from other
states. Mr.. Mann the chairman of the
committee. is of Chicago, which is in the
midst OF the newspaper publishers terri
tory. Wisconsin is represented on the
committee because 1t has been charged
that the paper mills in Wisconsin have
been closed by the trust.
Kansas is represented as being remote
from influences of the paper-making trade
1t Is declared that the entire personnel of
this committee is based on consideration
of relieving the committee from the charge
that it is dominated by local trade preju-
dices.
ring data to aid the committee to pro-
coed at once with the matter
The Publishers Association. as indicated
by its telegram. wants a vote upon the
question of removing the duty from wood
pulp and views the setting up on an in
quiry into the paper trust methods. cou-
Piled with refusal to permit action upon
the free pulp proposition. as pretext and
subterfuge to prevent relief in and form
from the excessive price of paper. The as
ISOLATION indicates that it wishes both free
pulp and regulation OF the paper trust !;
but does not wish one remedy to be
played against the other with the result
Of losing both.
Protectionists Irritated.
There is considerable irritation among
the high protectionists in the House over
the demand made by President Roosevelt
in his recent message to Congress that the
tariff should be revised In respect to wood
pulp and print paper. Some Of these pro-
tectionists complain that within a week
after President Roosevelt sent in his mes
sage advocating placing print paper and
conference at the White House with the
men who were to frame the platform Of
the republican state convention in New
York.
These bioh nro<o~f{or;ats 90 " fbot <ho
New York platform. which, they claim.
represented President Rooseye1t's views
in every respect. declared explicitly against
piecemeal revision of the tariff in these
words:
I'VE indorse and approve the policy of
Congress in refusing to revise the tariff
by piecemeal."
The high protectionists in Congress are
OF the opinion that the abuses of which
the newspaper publishers complain are
not due 80 much to tariff as to possible
illegal combinations which are suscep-
table to being remedied by the application
of the antitrust law. At any rate, 1t is
the purpose of the committee appointed
by resolution OF the House to look into
this phase of the question and to deter
mine whether the publishers can get their
relief by revision of the tariff or by other
means
Sharp Williams Of Mississippi the minor
ity leader, to the secretary Of the Ameri-
can Newspaper Publishers Association. in
reply to the wire from the association:
Il join you In your protest. Get the
Speaker to recognize me or any one else.
republican or democrat, in a motion to
call up the bill and 1t will pass. 1t is up
to him.
Speaker Cannon's Comment.
Speaker Cannon made the following
statement to a Star reporter this after
noon on the subject Of the pressure that
is being brought to bear by the American
Newspaper Publishers Association and
| others to obtain action on the Stevens
bill:
THE House appointed special COM
mittee. with James r. Mann of Illinois as
chairman. to make a full investigation,
touching the alleged combination Of man
ufacturers OF print paper
81 have no doubt that the committee is
ready now to hear any member of the
| Publishers Association or the Associate ed
| Press touching any fact or suggestion by
| which facts can he ascertained that will
| shed light on the alleged combination.
/ may 90 further and say that am sat
| isfied that If these gentlemen do not come
and give the facts on their own motion
they will be required to come and give
such facts as they have to establish their