The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-02
UNCLE JOE GETS BUSY.
He Wants to Know Something About
the Paper Trust.

| Washington, April 2.-Speaker Can
non today introduced a resolution di-
recting the attorney general and the
| secretary of commerce and labor to
INFORM the house what steps have been
| taken by those departments to investi-
gate the action of the International
Paper company of New York, and 9TH
er corporations supposed to be engaged
| in an effort to create a monopoly in
print paper. In statement Mr.. Can
| non said if the claims of the publishers
are correct the manufacturers of paper
are subject to penalties and the trust"
can be dissolved in the United States
court
The resolution follows:
Resolved, That the attorney gen.
eral be directed to transmit to the
house If not incompatible with the
public service such papers and infor-
nation as may be in possession Of the
department showing what steps If any,
have been taken to investigate the ac-
ton of the International Paper COM
pany of New York, and other cOrpOr-
atoms, joint stock companies or cor
porate combinations engaged in the
manufacture of wood pulp, of print
paper. or the sale thereof, and what
steps have been taken to prosecute the
said corporation or corporations joint
stock companies or combines, for viO-
lation of the law, in case reasons for
such prosecutions may have appear
ed from investigation, information
from the department of commerce and
labor, or otherwise
A resolution giving similar directions
to the secretary of the department OF
commerce and labor also was intro
duced by the speaker as follows:
Resolved. That the secretary of conf
| merce and labor be directed, if not in
compatible with the public service to
transmit to the house all papers and
information which may be in the pos
session of the department relating to
any steps which may have been taken
by the bureau of corporations to make
the 'diligent investigation into the or
ganization, conduct and management
of the business of the International
Paper company of New York and other
corporation joint stock companies or
combines engaged in the manufacture
of wood pulp or print paper or the sale
thereof, as said bureau Of corporations
is authorized to do by law Of the Unit
ed States, and all papers and informa-
ton in his department which are the
result of such investigation if any such
has been made
In reply to a question as to the pur-
pose of the resolution, Speaker Cannon
said:
1.-The duty on print paper is Is per
cent ad valoreum and has been the
same since 1890 under the Mckinley
law, the Wilson law and the Dingley
law, covering a period of Is years. 1t
is claimed that the price has advanced
within the last few months largely
more than equal to the duty.
1.-The publishers of the United States
represented by Herman Ridder, claim
that the manufacturers of wood pulp
and print paper have by agreement and
combination even covering arrangements
with Canadian manufacturers, arbi-
trarily limited the production and adj
vanced the price of print paper. If the
claim of the publishers is correct the
manufacturers of print paper are sub
ject to penalty and the trust can be
dissolved and enjoined by proceedings
in equity in any of the United States
courts where they or any of them can
be found and if the claim of the pub
fishers is correct the advance in the
price is not due to the duty but re-
suits from the illegal trust and COM
bination. If the small duty were re-
pealed it would not interfere with the
illegal trust agreement.
1.-The object of the two resolutions is
to ascertain:
partment of commerce and labor
through the bureau Of corporations has
made, If any, touching on the
premises.
"Secondly-To ascertain what steps
have been taken by the department OF
justice, If any to investigate touching
The premises, and If there is reason to
Believe that the law has been violat-
ed or is being violated what steps are
being taken to enforce the same"
Later in the day Representative
Champ Clark (Mo.) denounced
Speaker Cannon and the II Republi-
| can members of the committee on
| ways and means for persisting in their
| refusal to bring in a bill placing wood
pulp and white paper on the free list.
| He said that the Republican editors
and publishers eff they were worth
| the powder and shot to kill Them
would lash the speaker, Chairman
Payne and other Republicans of the
| committee.
eff they don't do it," he exclaimed,
| ''they ought to hold their peace and
vote for US in November
| Senator Overman On. c. today in
troduced a joint resolution putting
printing paper and wood pulp on the
free list and asked for its immediate
/ consideration by the senate, but Mr..
| Hepburn objected and on motion of
| Senator Gallinger the resolution was
| referred to the committee on finance.