The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-01
PAPER TRUST
 UNDER FIRE Many Newspaper Pub
 fishers Testify. LETTERS ARE INTRODUCED Much Evidence Given to Strengthen
 Combination Theory. Gen. Felix Agnus, of The Baltimore American, Tells Congress Conn.,
 mittee of His Experience
 With Alleged Trust.

Washington. April so.-Individuai newspaper publishers were present to- day before the House special commit tee. which is Investigating the price of news print paper, prepared to give testimony in the case.
 Before they were heard, however, John Norris of New York, representing the American Newspaper Publishers Association. was permitted to continue his presentation of facts which was beg gun Saturday last In response taea request by Chairman Mann, Mir. Norris laid before the committee various cir cular letters which had been issued at different times by the Association, on the subject of the price of paper. copies of which had been mailed to President Roosevelt and others.
 Mir. Mann put into the Record let- ters received by him from the Inter- national Brotherhood of Pulp. Sulphite and Paper Mill Workers. and Director North. of the Census Bureau, and also telegrams from David S. Cowles, Pres- ident of the American Paper and Pulp Associations. asking the opportunity to be heard. Both Mir. North and Mir. Cowles stated that they desired to deny certain statements made by the Pulp fishers Association.
 Great Burden.
 "Do you claim as a matter of fact" Mfr. Mann asked, that the statement in Mr. Bidders letter of March {. 1908. to President Roosevelt In which he said there was practically a combi- nation to put an additional burden of S60, ,000. .000 per annum upon the print ing and publishing interests of the country, Is true?"
 "Yes, sir," the witness responded. and answering . further question said that the news print paper represented the bulk of the paper made.
 You don't figure that plotting pa- per or wrapping paper Is printing and publishing paper. do your" asked Mir. Mann.
 The witness said that se did so re- gard them.
 Mir. Norris replied that it was in- tended to include all consumers in the advance and he put the question to Mir. Mann if he thought 1t material whether the S6o.000, 900 increase planned was confined to the printing or pub- fishing, or confined to paper consum- CTS.
 T think 1t is extremely material" Mir Mann replied, "as to whether this $60 900, 900 burden is on one thing or everything in the United States"
 Mir. Norris said that if 1t related to paper makers who are in the comb. nation 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 a factor to be considered. Mir. 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 absolutely misled-you misied myself"
 Mir. Mann said he was mortified when one of his newspaper friends wrote him that his paper bill would be in- creased and that $65 100000 would be added to the printing and magazine publishing business in one year.
 We do not claim" said Mir. Norris. that the increase Is confined to the printing and publishing business. but that 1t applies to a combination of the burdens which all the paper com binAtions aimed to impose upon all paper consumers"
 You disavow that" commented Mir. Mann. "and yet, my friend got that in- formation from MT. Riders letter and accepted 1t as an absolutely truthful fact. Of course we don't hold you re- sponsible for MT. Riddles letter."
 Accepts Responsibility.
 MT. Norris asserted, however. that he was willing to accept responsibility for very considerable part of that let ter. and added:
 "I have no hesitation on that sub ject."
 He then read a letter from the Man ufacturers' Paper Company expressing its inability to take an order for news print paper and saying: There has been a corresponding increase of price of other grades of paper consequently there Is no use to turn from those grades"
 Furteher questioned by the Chair man regarding the statement contain ed in MT Riders letter above refer red to MT. Norris said that to the ex- tent that the manufacturers had re- stricted the burdens merely to the nrinting and publishing interests that vas inaccurate, but" he said, Ito the burden of $60, 100000 on paper con- sumers, it is entirely accurate as far as a fair estimate could be made of that situation"
 You may say 1t was fairly accur- ate" remarked MT. Mann, If MT. Rid der referred to the burdens of all com sumers of paper in the United states
 MT Norris temporarily was excused and General Felix Agnus, publisher Of The Baltimore American, took the stand. He testified that under con tract with the International Paper | Company. he had been paying since January 1. 1908. S25O per hundred hounds for print paper, Previous to | that date he said. he paid sl.9O' the in- crease being SIP per ton. The paper. be said. was delivered on the side walk. The price of sl 90, he paid for two years. From 1901 10 1906, under a nve-year contract with the Great Northern Company he paid $2 a hun: l dred His purchases have averaged z noo tons a year. January 1. 1906 he changed to the International Pa ner Company and got the price of st 90 for two years to December 3l 1907. when he made new contract with the same company for one year
 "The sudden rise" he said. twas something astonishing to me and we did the best we could when we heard the price was raised to secure other terms from other companies"
 He read a letter from the Ber'ir Company saying that company hac 1 oiant, and mora than plenty of papel