The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1909-06-18
DUTY ON PULP
AND PAPER AN
OUTLAW DUTY
Senator Brown of Nebraska
Leads the Fight Against
Robber Trust.
QUOTES FACTS AND
FIGURES IN PROOF
WEAK DENIALs BY ALDRIcH AND
HALE-DEBATE TO BE RE-
SUMED TODAY.

Washington, June 1.-THE fight to place
wood pulp and print paper upon the free
list was opened up inAthe senate today
under the leadership of Senator Brown
of Nebraska. Going over to the portion
of the chamber in which Senators Aldrich,
Hale. Frye, Lodge, Gallinger. Smoot and
other leaders have their seats, the Ne
braskan stood in the midst of the oppos-
ing force. and with good nature parted
thrusts that came to him from all quar-
tiers as he delivered a telling speech in
behalf of the cause he had espoused.
Told Them the Facts.
Showing familiarity with all available
schedule, Mr.. Brown frequently quoted
from various authorities to sustain his
contention that wood pulp and print paper
are both produced in the United States
with cheaper labor and cheaper material,
resulting in a cheaper product than can
be obtained in Canada.
Turning to his Republican colleagues. he
asked them how. in view of that fact,
they could justify duty on these prod
ucts for the protection of labor"
Flatly Contradicted.
Senator Aldrich and Senator Hale flat
ly contradicted these statements in ref
erence to wages and cost of production.
They insisted that the Mann committee
OF the house of representatives, from
which Mr.. Brown quoted, was lacking in
accurate testimony, and contended that,
even accepting that report, il could not
be maintained that the United States had
an advantage in the production. This dis
pute ran along for two hours.
There was a large attendance of DEM
ocrats. Senator Tillman asked how It
was that newspapers advocating protec-
tive tariff desired free trade in the ma
terials they use.
TilIman Butts In.
"They are humbugs." the South Caro-
linisn declared.
Senator Bailey suggested that an
amendment should be drawn giving the
benefit of free paper to free trade pa
pers and levying duty on paper used by
protective tariff journals
Mr.. Brown still held the floor when the
senate adjourned, earlier than usual, to
permit a Democratic caucus He will re-
sumo consideration of his amendment for
free paper tomorrow.
The senate adopted the window glass
schedule, placing lower duty than is
provided by the Dingley law or the house
bill
because of intense competition by Ger
MAN manufacturers the duty on illus
Il ated postcards was increased SIS per
cent above the Dingley law.
The schedules relating TO photographic
papers, calendars. cigar bands and such
products were adopted.
Senator Browns Speech.
Denouncing as inexcusable and indie
feasible any proposition of the finance
committee to increase the low rate fixed
by the house bill for the protection Of
the print paper industry. Senator Brown
of Nebraska declared that that industry
needs no protection. These paper mills.
ne insisted, have an advantage over every
foreign print mill. whether they are in
Scandinavia, Germany or Canada.
Canada is our only competitor in this
market said Mr.. Brown. The seas and
the inferior product of other countries
than Canada protect the mills of the
United States against all competition
worth mentioning. This Question depends
on the cost Of production at home and
abroad If the foreigners can manufaC-
ture print paper for less than il costs
finance committee might find justifica-
ton. If the fact be, as I shall prove *
Is, that print paper is being made at a
less cost here than elsewhere then any
duty in any amount is wholly wrong in
principle and uncomfortable and extortion-
ate in practice.
Cost in Canada.
Canada had an investigation into the
subject in 1901, which showed that the
American mills had an advantage of s.
per ton in the cost Of production of prit
paper. Following that report the man
government to continue the % per cent
I'd valOrem duty on paper importations.
The statement Of the Booth mills in
Canada shows the cost of production to
be SAL per ton. The testimony before
the house committee shows the cost per
ton of the print paper made by the In
-ernauOnal Paper company of the United
States to be S27,H. Another significant
TACT shown in the hearings before the
house committee, is that western pub
fishers testified that they bought paper
from the Booth mills in Canada and paid
The duty and then got It for less than
they could have purchased it from the
trust.
"Our consul in the province Of Quebec
reported that the labOrers in the Can
adam mills receive as high If not higher
wages than those in American mills It
Is undisputed by the testimony taken by
his committee that many of the WORK
men in the Canadian mills are American
,itizens and receive higher wages than
when in the United States"
Question of Wages.
In fifty-nine news print paper mills i'm
his country, he said, there are L. 449 en-
Dloyes while the newspapers and periodf-
,als using their output employ 145,63S
persons.
Every one Of these newspaper employees
be- said is affected by the increase in the
price Of paper which has taken place in
he last few years. The print paper mills
n 1908 had an annual pay roll of So
81, 632, while the pay roll of the newspa-
Continued on Page 10.