The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-01
Representative of Manufacturer Says If Tariff |s Reduced
 Price NH Fall
lOHN NORRIS CONTINUES
 TESTIMONY ON PRICES
h. Felix Agnus of the Baltimore American Adds His Testimony That the Papermakers Have
 Entered Combination.

Washington, April BOA mass of data, earing on what he charged to be com nation of paper makers to raise prices nd restrict production, was furnished to- hy by John Norris, representing the Enerican Newspaper Publishers associa-
 an, to the select committee of the House
 ich is conducting an investigation into
 e subject of the prices of news bring per in the United States.
 dr. Norris was on the stand nearly all
 y. During brief period that Mir Nor
 was excused. Gen. Felix Agnus of the
 fillmore American testified regarding his
 rious contracts with paper manufac-
 sers and said that on January l, last { was forced by the International Paper bmpany to pay SIP ton more for paper van he did last year. He related a con
 Fsation he had today with a representa-
 le of the International Paper company,
 which he was told that If the tariff h print paper was removed he would be
 len reduced rate.
 It the close of the days session Chair fan Mann stated that apparently some of Be publishers were not as anxious to at Ind the hearing as they originally ap- Jared to be, but said that he would force ler presence and secure their testi- s-.bny.
 Hearing Desired. Mir. Mann put into the record letters re- ceived by him from the International Brotherhood of Pulp, suphite and Paper tiili @oiAcis dno DiGeetor Surt4i ot the census bureau. and also telegrams from Davis s. Cowles, president of the Amer ican Paper and Pulp association. asking the opportunity to be heard. Both Mir. North and Mir Cowes stated that they desired to deny certain statements made by the Publishers association.
 Do you claim as a matter of fact" Mr. Mann, asked, that the statement in MT. Raiders letter of March 4, 1908, to President Roosevelt in which he said there was practically combination to put an additional burden of $60,0O0 OO0 per annum upon the printing and publishing sinterests of the country is true?" "Yes,' the witness responded and an- swering further question said that the news print paper represented the great bulk of the paper made.
 You also believe that plotting paper or wrapping paper is printing and pub fishing paper do you?" asked Mir. Mann
 The witness said that he did so regard them.
 MT. Norris replied that it was intended to include all consumers in the advance, and he put the question to MT. Mann If he thought 1t material whether the $60 O0O, 900 increased planned was confined to the
  consumers.
 "I think it is extremely material" MT. Mann replied, .as to whether this S6O,- coo,OoO burden is on one thing or on every thing in the United States"
 MT. Mann Mortified.
 MT. Norris said that if it related to paper makers who are in the combination and who are in combination in such ways that the taking of their machines off of one kind of paper and putting them on another affects the whole business, 1t was factor to be considered.
 Mr. Mann remarked that the witness had been directed to cover the whole subject of paper, whereas all that had been said was confined to the printing and publishing interests and thereby abso- lutely misled-you misled yourself" .Mr Mann said he was mortified when one of his newspaper friends wrote him that his paper bill would be increased and that $65,000,000 would be added to the print ing and magazine publishing business in one year.
 We do not claim,' said Mr. Norris, that the increase is confined to the printing and publishing business, but that it applies to computation of the bur dens which all the paper combinations aimed to impose upon ali paper con- sumers.' 0 You dsavow that commented Mr. Mann, and yet, my friend got that in formation from Mr. Ridders letter and accepted it as an absolutely truthful fact Of course, we don't hold you re- sponsible for MT. Riduers' letter.
 Mr. Norris asserted, however, that he was willing to accept responsibility for a very considerable part of that letter and added: "I have no hesitation on that subject"
 Additional Burden. He then read letter from the manu- Il lecturers paper company expressing it's Y inability to take an order for news print paper bill, saying "there has beea. 1 a corresponding increase of price of other grades of paper and consequently there is no use to turn from those d grades"
 Further questioned by the chairman re- garding the statement contained in Mir. Ridders' letter above referred to, MT. Norris said that to the extent the manu- lecturers had restricted the burdens mere- ly to the printing and publishing inter ests that was inaccurate, but he said, "to the extent that they planned add T tional burden of 900 on paper con- I sumers it is entirely accurate as far as a fair estimate could be made of Y that situation.
 You may say it was fairly accurate, remarked Mir. Mann, If MT. Ridder re-
 
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