The Washington times., 1911-05-08
SEhATE'S FINANCE
COMMITTEE TOLD
/ PACT MEANS RUIN
Paper Makers and Farmers
Plead for Defeat of Reel
procity Treaty. J

Paper manufacturers led off before
the Senate Finance Committee today In
protesting against the Canadian reci-
procity agreement. Especially did the
manufacturers of book paper put up a
wry face before the committee. They
insisted their business would be ruintd
If the reciprocity agreement went into
effect. In addition, strong protests were
made by farmers, through representa-
tives of the Grange.
I'VE will have not protection under
the reciprocity agreement, and yet we
will have to pay duties on the raw ma
terials we use," said George Sullivan,
of Philadelphia, of the Nixon Paper
Company. I'VE will get it coming and
going
Sullivan said he spoke for the manu-
facturers of book paper in Pennsylvania,
and in general He said there were
forty-six mills making book paper in
this country, with a capital of S1O5, ,OOO, 900,
and employing $4,000 persons.
Sees Disaster.
1T simply means our going out of
business" he said. Canada has not
only great advantage over us in the
matter of water power and wood, but
we have to pay duties on the raw ma
terial entering into paper"
He cited the case of English clay,
copper wire, and other things used in
The manufacture of book paper. and
said the duties on the raw materials,
most of which Canada did not have to
pay, amounted to about s. per ton. He
declared that on the strength of the
expectation that the agreement will be
ratified English companies are being
formed daily TO start new mills. The
selling price of paper in Canada and
England would be below the cost of pro-
duction in the United States, he said:
The English are selling certain paper
in New Yorkq at 81 cents, and 1t costs
cents to make in this country" de-
clared Mr.. Sullivan.
Sullivan was followed by William S.
Sharp, manufacturer of book paper.
of Philadelphia and New York. He said
the reciprocity agreement would be
ruinous. and he did not see how the in
dustry could exist.
Farmers Protest.
In addition 20 the protests of the pa
per manufacturers, there were strong
protests FROM farmers. NJ. Z. Hall,
master of the Michigan State Grange.
appeared with a delegation representing
farmers in fourteen States. He pre-
sented the members of the delegation
10 the committee. The first to speak
was Former Gov. N ]. Bachelor. of
New Hampshire master of the National
Grange. Governor Bachelor has pro-
tested already before the Finance Com
lnittee to reciprocity, and also before
the Ways and Means Committee. He
renewed his protest today, and said the
farmers generally were against the bill
Governor Bachelor attacked the reci-
procity agreement as an unfair discrimi-
nation against the farmers. He said
Canadian farmers had an advantage
over AmeriCn farmers in that they paid
lower tariff taxes on all the manufac-
tUred articles thev used.
Mr.. Faahelder maintained that Demo-
Gratis and Republicans alike were vio-
lating their party pledges in support
ing the reciprocity agreement.
In the course of the hearing, Mr..
Eaton, of Illinois, told the commit
tee he was the son of a Scotch Pres
byterian minister.
There We're two things my father
would never allow on the center table
in the parlor," said he. "One was q
Democratic newspaper and the other
was a deck of cards"