The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-04-29
PAPER MILLS UNITED.
Evidence Presented by News
paper Publishers Association.

per Had Been Raised-Understan
ing That One Mills Customer Is Not
to Get Paper From Another.
Washington, April 2S. - Evidence
tending to show that there has been
pnity of action among paper mills in
the matter of fixing the price of paper,
as well as an understanding that none
of. them shall sell to the customer of
another; that contracts for paper
could not be obtained for a period
longer than one year. and that the
mills had arbitrarily shut down or re-
stricted their output, was presented
by John Norris of the American News
paper Publishers association before
the select house committee which is
investigating the price of print paper
as affected by the tariff, and the ques-
ton of whether or not there is
combination in restraint of trade.
The evidence which Mr.. Norris Of
fered was in the shape of replies by
members of the Publishers associa-
tion to number of queries PROFOUND
ed to them by the association. This
evidence included statement of
variation in the price of paper of from
50 to $17 a ton, and induced Mr.. Mann
to make the assertion that it disclosed
just the reverse of the contention
that there is a combination to main
tain uniform prices.
Mr.. Norris, however, declared that it
was the avowed purpose of the paper
makers to regulate the price at the
time of the hearing before the Ding
ley committee in 1896 and he contend
ed that their present course was In
harmony with that avowal.
Quotations Withdrawn or Changed.
Mr.. Norris laid before the committee
a large number of replies of newspa-
pers to the query: "Have any agents
or mills withdrawn quotations pre-
viously made to you or have they me-
elected or refused to quote prices to
you, or have they changed previous
offers?"
These replies all tended to show
that some paper companies had de-
clined to make offers, others had with
drawn or changed their quotations and
others had announced their product
entirely sold.
The Chicago Daily Journal replied
that no broker or representative Of
any paper mill had called on that pa
per since June 1, 1906, to quote prices
or ask for their business.
ut has seemed to u.s." the journal
wrote that there is an understanding
that we are the Sheboygan's customer
and will have to stick to that mill"
Efforts to obtain prices elsewhere,
the journal wrote, were without avail.
"Do you understand" asked Mr..
Sims, from that statement that they
left the impression that the other COM
panies, except the Sheboygan, were
refusing to quote because they knew
the Sheboygan had made quotations?"
eve distinctly alleged" Mr.. Norris
replied, that these people had under
standings, and we will give state
ments where they have been told that
they were the customers of one mill
and that no other mill would bid"
That there was unity of action by
selling agents or uniformity in the
price of paper, was attested by several
hundred newspapers. In several in
stances the publishers declared they
had no information on the subject.
Countracts Limited to Year.
Still another set of replies was sub
mitted by Mr. Norris, by which he un-
dertook to prove that practically every
member of the association had been
refused contracts for more than one
year, and that in some instances pub
fishers had been forced to live from
hand to mouth" In the matter of their
paper supply.
In answer to Mr.. Mann, Mr.. Norris
said that these replies all were re-
ceived the latter part of September or
early in October, 1907.
Evidence also was adduced to show
that in many instances changes had
been made in selling agencies and that
contracts now were being made direct
with the mills.
Mr.. Norris furnished long list Of
newspapers to which the price of pa
per had been raised, and closed his tes-
timony by submitting evidence from
a great number of neWsDaDerS that
paper mills had shut down on restrict
ed their output, giving various rea.
sops therefor, such, for instance, as
that there was no water or that there
was a lack OF wood supply, and in
some cases no explanation at all for