The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-03-26
BIDDER RESENTS
 PAYNE'S METHODS Newspaper Publishers Are Re-
 fused a Hearing PRICE OF PAPER TOO HIGH Herman Ridder Declares That Ways and Means Committee Acted Too
 Radically In Tuning Down
 the Publishers.
PRICE OF PAPER TOO HIGH

New York. March 95.-The effort on the part of the American Newspaper Publishers association to secure leg islation by Congress putting print pa per and wood-pulp on the free list has received a sudden shock because of the absolute refusal on the part cf the ways and means committee to even ! give them a hearing. MT. Ridder, pres ident of the American Newspaper Pub fishers association, has made public the following correspondence on the subject:
 New York, March 19, 190S Hon. Serene E. Payne, Chairman Com
 mittee on Ways and Means, Wash ington, D. c.
 Dear Sir-On behalf of the Ameri- can Newspaper Publishers association I respectfully ask that hearing be granted to us upon the bills relating to free paper and pulp. Yours faith fully HERMAN BIDDER,
 President American Newspaper Pun fishers Association.
 Washington, March 21 1908, Mr. Herman Bidder. New York Staata
 Zeitung, New York.
 Dear Sir-Your letter of the 18th in- stant received. The majority of com : mittee determined early in the session that it would not be wise to enter upon revision of the tariff during this year, thus adding to the uncertainty and disquiet always caused by presi- dential election. They also had in mind the disturbance caused by the recent panic. In order to avoid all asi- tation they decided that they would have no hearings upon any subject af- fecting the tariff rates. After receiN- ing your letter I again talked with a majority of the members of the com : mittee and they adhered to their opir : ion. I therefore feel authorized to say to you there will be no hearing upon the tariff rates until after the presi- eiential election. Yours very truly,
 SERENO PAYNE.
 MT. Ridder. speaking on the subject today, said;
 T have seen President Roosevelt on this ubject repeatedly, and he gave me the most positive assurance that he would send a special message to Congress urging that print paper and wood-pulp be put upon the free list On the strength of his statement I have urged the newspaper publishers Of the United States to supoprt him in his efforts to do us justice. Con SIeSSHtdH w illldlnS. lcddct ol iilC minority, announced yesterday on tA e floor of Congress that he would re- fuse to allow any legislation to go forward until the majority would give assurances that it would pass three or four measures, among which was this one. We have assurances from d majority of Congress that they Will vote for this measure if it can pc brought before the House.
 Apparently, the sole obstruction .s the ways and means committee, and l hope the publishers of the country will take immediate measures to bring a majority of the committee to a realiza- tion of the sense of their duty in the matter. Unless prompt and vigorous action is taken the measure is likely to fail. If it does the paper combine will maintain these prices. If we fail to put the manufactured article on the free list, the Canadian government may impose a prohibitive export duty on logs and then the situation would be . come serious. It would not only prove disastrous to the public interests, but would mean that there would be a still greater drain on our forests, with sl' the attendant evils"