Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1909-02-20
Committee Recommends Lowering
Of Tariff On Print Paper.
PULP FREE CoNO|T|oNALLY
House Select Committee In Favor Of
Scaling Down Import Tax on Lower
Grades OF Paper Two-Thirds.-Pro-
posed Schedule.

WASHINGTON. Feb. IA reduc-
ton in the duty Oh newsprint paper
from Sc IA ton TO 81 "A ton; the plac-
ing of ground wood on the free list:
and the establishment OF duty OF
one-twelfth cent per pound on
mechanically ground wood pulp, are
the Recommendations OF the select
committee on Pulp and Paper Inves'
tigation which made it's report to the
House today. The report states that
IL presents the unanimous report or
the entire committee
There are three processes general
~ used in this country for the pro
duction of pulp or fiber from wood. y
says the report, These are the ground
wood process, snlphitc process. and
the soda process. The cheaper grades
OF paper are usually produced BY
mechanically mixing ground wood
pulp with other kinds of pulp in diff
ferent degrees OF percentage. The
ordinary newsprint paper is sener-
ally produced by the use of about so
per cent OF ground wood and about ="
per cent OF sulphite fiber. Whether
other kind of wood besides spruce can
be profitaly used for the production
of cheap print paper is matter con
corning which there is some differ
ence of opinion.
The Comittee's report states that
il would seem that the production OF
news print paper or the other very
cheap grades Of paper are today de
pendent upon the continuation of
cheap ground wood produced from
spruce trees, and that condition is
likely to prevail in the future. The
amount Of spruce consumed in the
United States in 1907 according to
the report, was about 1.260,O00 cords
for ground wood. about 1.42U.00 cords
Of Sulphite fiber. and abo1t 3.4'o,ooo
cords of lumler. The amount OF
standing spruce is varously estimat-
ed but is roughly guessed to about
70. 00O. 900 cords east OF the Rockies.
An appeal is made for the conser'
walton Of the forests. the cOnmlttee
urging thai an organized fire DEPART
ment should be maintained to fight
fire in every considerable 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 in
sertion In the tariff bill. placing
duty of one-twelfth OF cent per
pound on mechanically ground wood
pulp provides that this article shall
be admitted free Of dlty from any
country. dependency or other sub
division of a government which does
not forbid Or restrict the expectation
OF or does not impose an export dut'
or charge upon mechanically ground
wood or pulp for use in the manufac-
ture Of wood pulp. The duties recon-
mends for print paper are: on print
paper valued at not over two and one
quarter cents per pound. one-tenth
cent pound and on paper valued
at over two and one quarter cents
pound not over two and one hair
cents a pound. two-tenths of a cent
per pound.
The committee also recommends
that the bureau of plant industry
make investigations in the procure
ment and breeding o! annual and per
ennial plants in the endeavors to find
some plants which through breeding
to that end can he pr06taly used for
the commercial manufacture OF paper.
II also recommends that the For
est Service investigate the question
OF the production Of ground wood and
sulphite fiber from other kinds OF