The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1911-06-06
NEWSPAPER MEN WITNESSES
AND STRONGLY FAVOR
PENDING MEASURE.
BECAUSE Of PRINT PAPER
Senate Committee viii Go Into Exccu-
tive Session Tomorrow to Consider
atc-Root Amendment to the Bill
May 30 Permitted to Pass.

Washington, June 5.-Pubic hear
ings on the Canadian reciprocity bill
we're concluded by the senate finance
committee today. representatives, Of the
American Newspaper Publishers asso-
citation and the Associated Press being
the last to appear before the commit
tee.
Secretary of State Knox, at the re-
quest of Senator Bailey. has been
asked To explain tomorrow whether the
Root amendment to the paper section
of the bill. providing that 1t shall not
be ~ force until the president Is salts
fled and issues n proclamation to the
effect that paper and wood pulp are
being admitted free into all the PROV
inces of Canada, Is in full accord with
the agreement as understood by the
commissioners from both countries who
prepared the treaty Wednesday the
committee will take up the bill In ex-
ccutive session to discuss committee
action. Both Herman Ridder, until re-
Gently president Of the American News
paper Publishers association, and Mel
vile r. Stone. general manager of the
Associated Press. testified in answer
to queries from various senator's that.
I'm their opinion, no effort has been
made by the newspapers of the country
to present only one side of the reci-
procity agreement to color their re-
ports, or to suppress facts which were
Of news value. Bruce Haldeman. presi-
dent of the publishers association. and
Frank Il. Noyes. president of the As
sociated Press, also appeared.
Newspapers Interest.
The chief interests which the news
papers of the country have In the mat
ter. Mr. Ridder told the committee. Is
their desire to free themselves from the
paper manufacturers trust. which, now,
he added. has the publishers at its
mercy, The readers OF the country
would benefit by cheaper paper. as
well as the publishers. he said, because
the money saved on paper could be
used Ito furnish n larger and better
news service.
The hearings wound up with friend
~ philosophizing between Senators
Bailey, Smoot. La Toilette and Clark.
on the one hand. and Mr.. Stone on the
other. as to whether II would be bet
ter for the public II the newspapers
gave them more of the serious solid
and Instructive sort of news and less of
the sensational.
Mr. Ridder. who occupied the greater
part OF the day before the committee,
acknowledged that the publishers asso-
citation had sent ont bulletins and let
ters urging the passage of the reci-
procity measure.
But ! would not have favored the
measure" he said. III had not thought
1t would be of benefit to the country,
as whole, independent of my interest
In 1t as newspaper publisher"
When Mr.. Ridder attacked the paper
trust. which. he said, limited the out
put, fixed the price and told a pub
Usher where he must buy his paper,
both Senators McCumber and Bailey,
opponents of the bill. said II there was
such trust they wanted to see 1t
prosecuted by the government.
Mr.. Ridder insisted, In answer to
questions. that any amendment to the
bill would In his opinion, endanger and
probably kill the measure. and that,
therefore, he was in favor OF seeing the
bill passed exactly rs 1t came from the
house.
Mr.. Stone testified that no instruc-
tions had been sent out to Associated
Press correspondents as to Canadian
reciprocity. except that they had been
told to send any important matter con-
neeted with 1t because of the general
interest In the subject.