The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-02-25
PAPER TARIFF
MAY Be LOWER
COMMITTEE MAKES THIS RECON-.
MENDATION IN REPORT TO
THE HOUSE.
GROUND WOOD ON FREE LIST.
Preservation of Forests and ReforestTa
tion by Government Are Also
Urged by Congressman.
TO BREED OTHER FIBER PLANTS

WASHINGTON. ID. c.. Feb. ia
paper from So a ton to 81 a ton; the
placing of ground wood on the free list;
and the establishment of a duty of one
twelfth cent per pound on mechanically
ground wood pulp, are the recommenda-
tions of the select committee on pulp and
paper investigation which made its re.
port to the House today. The report
states that it presents the unanimous re-
port of the entire committee.
There are three processes generally
used in this country for the production
of pulp or fiber from wood" says the
report. These are the ground wood
process, sulphite process. and the soda
process. The cheaper grades of paper
are usually produced by mechanically
mixing ground pulp with other kinds of
pulp in different degrees of percentage
The ordinary newsprint paper is gener
ally produced by the use of about SO
per cent. of ground wood, and about ~
per cent, of sulphite fiber. Whether 9th
er kind of wood besides spruce can be
probably used for the production of
cheap print paper is a matter concerning
which there is some difference Of
opinion
The committees report states that il
would seem that the production of news
print paper or the other very cheap
grades of paper are today dependent
upon the continuation of cheap ground
wood produced from spruce trees, and
that that condition is likely to prevail
in the future. The amount of spruce
consumed in the United States in 1907
according 10 the report. was about l.
100000 cords for ground wood, about
100000 cords for sulphite fiber and
about 3,4JO.0OO cords for lumber. The
amount of standing spruce is varlously
estimated, but is roughly guessed to
be about 1O.OO0,000 cords, east of the
Rockies.
Must Preserve Forests.
An appeal is made for the conserva,
ton of the forests, the committee urging
that an organized fire department should
be maintained to fight fire in every con-
siderable forest in the country and that
young trees should be exempted by the
various states from the ordinary rates
of taxation. 1t is also suggested that
the national government start large
tracts of young spruce forests
The paragraph recommended for inser-
ton in the tariff bill, placing a duty of
one-twelfth of cent per pound on me-
chanically ground wood pulp provides
that this article shall be admitted free
OF duty from any country, uepenuelcy ui
other subdivision of government which
does not forbid or restrict the eXporta.
ton of, or does not impose an export
duty, or charge upon mechanically
ground wood or pulp for use in the man
ufacture of wood pulp. The duties rec
commended for print paper are: On PRINT
paper valued at not over "a cents per
pound, l cent n pound; and on paper
valued at over pa cents a pound and not
over 2la cents Il pound, two-tenths of
cent per pound.
To Find Other Plants.
The committee also recommends that
the bureau of plant industry make inves'
legations in the procurement and breed
ing of annual and perennial plants in the
eudeavor to find some plant which
through breeding to that end can be
proftably used for the commercial manu-
facture of paper.
1t also recommends that the forestry
department investigate the question OF
producing wood ground and sulphite
fiber from other kinds of wood than
those now used.