The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-01
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Medill Mccormick Testisffes Regarding
Oppression by Paper Trust.

Washington, May 1.-Johu Norris, of
New York, reEresenting tLestaper COM
mittee of the Newspaper Publishers
association today continued his testi-
mony before the select committee OF
the house on the pulp investigation
He informed the committee regarding
steps taken to acquaint the attorney
general with the existence of a paper
manufacturers pool and submitted for
the private information of the commit
tee a copy of the allegations made by
the publishers embodying the names
of 36 persons, who had knowledge of
the matters complained Of. Those per-
sons he declared were not willing wit
nesses. Mr.. Norris said further that
practically all the evidence he had
furnished the committee had also been
placed in the hands of the attorney
general
II doubt" he said, elf it was even
read"
Mr.. Norris put in evidence, a resolu-
100000 men expressing their hearty
sympathy with the movement of the
publishers against the paper makers
Medill Mccormick, publisher of the
Chicago Tribune, disclosed to the COM
mittee that under five year CONTRACT
with the International Paper company
he was paying s2.20 per hundred for
paper. The contract still has one year
to run, although the price during the
| time of existence has been gradually
| increased from $1S5 His purchases
| he said, amount to 14,00O or $4,000 tons
yearly. No one, he said, had approach
ed him regarding his paper supply for
| next year. Replying to query by Mr..
| Stafford, Mr.. Mccormick said that s,I
| far as his knowledge went the Chicago
Record-Herald and the News are pay
| ing the same price as the Tribune. The
/ Hearst 0atfiny ot
/ something less than So. The Journal
| was paying something over $3.50. With
| the exception of that gong to the last
| named publication, he said, the paper
was all supplied by the international
| company
Under a rigid cross examination by
Mr.. Mann, Mr.. Mccormick testified
that shortly before making his last
contract with the International COM
pany he had bought paper from a Wa
| tertown, N. Y, MILL Subsequently the
| travelling representative of the Water
town company asked to be relieved of
its contract, and on the same day with
| in an hour an agent of the Interna-
| tlonal company appeared in his office
| and asked for the contract. He said he
journeyed to New York In the company
of both gentlemen and the contract
with the Watertown company was can
celled as requested. He could not eX-
plain how it happened that the two
agents were in Chicago at the same
time.
Did you suspect any collusion," Mr.
Mann asked. The witness answered
that he did not suspect the Watertown
company's agent, but he said: Il made
up my mind that the Watertown people
had been badly frightened by the In
ternational people and I remember
had rather angry interview in which
I told him he had 'ditched' me-"
At this point the committee entered
into an informal discussion as to tht
probable effect upon the house of its
report. In the opinion Of Mr. Stafford
the recommendations of the committee
would be followed by the house.
Continuing his testimony Mr. Nc
Cormick declared, in answer to a cues.
ton by Mr.. Sims that the passage OF
the Stevens bill removing the duty or
wood pulp and print paper, would effec-
the relief sought.
Speaking of the increased price O.
, paper, Mr.. Mccormick said it mean
! an additional outlay by him of s1OO. .O0
a year. He added that if the comnlitte,
would look into the condition of som.
of the smaller publishers, they wouIt
find that in many instances men VIII,
after years of hard work had built nj
good living, had lost that living.