Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-03-07
Why the Newspapers Complain.


1t is urged in objection 20 ratifi-
cation of the Canadian reciprocity
plan that the newspapers are for Il
merely because it means cheaper
print paper for them. 1t may be ad-
mitted that if ratification probably
would be followed by cheapening in
the cost of print paper, without ad
hitting that the newspapers interest
IL reciprocity is purely mercenary.
Aren't the newspapers entitled TO
fair deal, to buy in a market unmOn-
opolized by a trust. and at prices that
are fair and compensatory and not
coercive and grossly excessive? The
newspapers have been SLOW 70 speak
out in defense of themselves from the
fear Of misinterpretatfon of their mo-
lives. But their burdens have been
so increased by the ever-mounting
avarice of the paper trust as to leave
them no alternative but to speak out
or lose money.
Their print paper. costs the news
papers of the United States $50 ,000,-
GOO a year. This is $6,O00,O00 more
than they would have to pay If nor
NAL conditions were permitted.
The Payne tariff law was supposed
to have carried a concession to pub
fishers. in a reduction of $3.50 per
ton in The rate of duty on print pa
per The result is apparent in an in
crease of $3.50 a ton in the price Of
print paper by paper makers since
the passage of the Payne law.
The price Of print paper has in
creased from $32 a ton 70 S45 ton,
or nearly so per cent since 30 paper
mills were gathered into one combi-
nation-the international Paper
Company.
The capital stock OF the interna-
tfonal is S69.OOO.0O0 and IS mostly
water. John Norris Of the Amer
lean Publishers association. in
p statement TO the senate committee
on finance pointed out that the in
Iternational took over III paper
machines, but is now operating less
than 81 machines In - years IL
has added only two new machines to
its eouipment When il was organ
lied half of the machines were then
out of date. What must their con-
dition be today? It's paper machines
turn out an average Of q tons per
machine a day, while modern ma
chimes turn out so tons per day. Why
should the newspapers be forced to
carry the burden of that load? In
stead of using its resources to de-
velop its machinery and improve its
pIant. the International Paper COM
pany has used its funds to speculate
IN wood lands. so that today il con-
trolls between 5000 and 1000 square
miles of timber tracts, and is flirting
with the provincial government of
Quebec about the location OF paper
plants in that section. 1t has three
times the wood land necessary for a
perpetual supply of wood 10 provide
its present production. Its represen-
tative before a congressional commit
tee figured that these lands were
worth SI3, 492.3l5 and that the com
pany had made S10,0O0.O00 on the
appreciated value OF its wood land
holdings To strengthen its monop-
oily of power sites, as we'll as of
available timber areas. Il holds 1884,
592 horse power OF the undeveloped
horse power which il valued at So
729.600. Il Will not develop them
Itself and no possible competitor can
get hold OF them Newspapers must
pay the tax charges on those invest
ments.
Because of your coddling of these
paper makers by tari9 fsvors,
coupled with the effects OF artificial
stimulation OF prices by combination,
the print paper makers OF the United
States have become eneTvated. They
waste their substance so that only
81 per cent of the wood which reach
es the mill is converted into paper.
The testimony of government experts
and OF officials of the American Pa