The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1911-02-21
Interests Affected by Proposed
Reciprocity Emphatic in Ar
guments Before Committee.
PAPER MANUFACTURER
ATTACKS NEWSPAPERS
Lumberman DenOunces the
Agreement as Reprehensible
and Inconsistent.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 20-Hearings on
| the Mccall bill to carry out the provi-
| slons OF the Canadian reciprocity agree
| ment were begun to-day by the senate
committee on finance. During the fore
noon the only witness was John Strange
of Neenah. Wis, a paper manufacturer
and former lieutenant governor of his
state. Mr. Strange opposed the bill In
vigorous language, charging that false
sentiment in favor of IL had been manu-
| featured by u league of newspapers,
| which he believed To be in violation OF
the Sherman antitrust law.
Considerable difficulty was experienced
by Senators Lodge. Culom. Flint and
Stone in keeping Mr.. Strange 10 his sub
ject and obtaining from him reasons why
the agreement should not be confirmed
Several times Senator Lodge sharply
demanded something other than attacks
on the motives OF newspapers in their
demands for cheaper paper.
John Norris. chairman of the paper
committee of the American Newspaper
Publishers association. was an interested
listener to Mr.. Strange's testimony, He
said that later he would have something
To say.
Argument of Mr.. Strange.
Siftad OF its attacks upon newspapers
and other organizations which favor the
agreement. Mr.. Stranses statement con-
talned the following arguments:
That this country has more need
for Canadian pulp wood than il has for
Canadian disease germs: that spruce is
not necessary 10 paper making. any
wood which has fiber will suffice and
there are many woods which are better
than spruce: that the frs OF the north
nothing better than The soft woods OF
the south.
In connection with his statement about
timber OF the south. Mr.. Strange said
that II the Democrats knew what they
were about they would take such action
as would make them the future paper
| makers of the country.
Mr., Strange declared that Wisconsin,
/ Minnesota and West Virginia In twenty
years would be growing enough timber
for all the mills of the country and that
paper making was just developing in the
south through the utilization of timber
unit for lumber.
Questions by Senator Hale.
These statements we're brought out
! chiefly by questions from Senator Hale.
whose evident purpose was 20 show that
! Canadian timber for paper making was
not needed in this country; that there
| was sufficient standing timber for imme-
! diatc needs. with conservation already
taking due care for the future,
|
the press" and asked II there was not
a great deal of apprehension because OF
the attitude of the newspapers.
Mr. Strange said that was true and
! launched into a criticism OF newspaper
methods which. he declared. were resort
/ ed TO for purposes of intimidation
! Their arguments lie said, were n con-
! glomcrate mass OF nonsense. Shortly
/ after II clock n call OF the senate COM
! PEELED a recess until afternoon.
Al the afternoon session Edward Hines
/ Of
| Manufacturers association. voiced the OBJ
! jcctIons OF lumber dealers 10 the agree
| Dlcn;.
Commissioner Smith Criticised.
Mr.. Hines sharply criticised the course
| Of Herbert Knox Smith. commissioner oil
corpora tons In what he characterized as
the DELAY OF that official in preparing his
report on the lumber industry under a
! resolution OF u previous senate lie
/ charged that II had been held back iof
three years. then only. 10 be brought IN
al IAN opporLune time when reciprocity
He asserted that the report was not
founded upon facts. He also challenged
the statement that the timber lands, OF
people. on the contrary, he declared.
there is no large industry In which there
! was greater diversity OF ownership.
MIR Hines declared. that the reduction
in the tariff on lumber effected by the
Payne Adneh bin had had the e9G, 1G,b ber er
reducing the price iSe,snpd on pr'"a'S 'o'''''
David e. Skinner. Seattle lumber.
man, who lives In San Francisco. found
fault with the situa tion generally. MAX :
ing specific complaint OF the reciprocity At,
agreement. which he denounced as the
most inconsistent and reprehensiole
proposition the people ever mad TO con
mont" he launched a sweeping con
domuation of the proposed tarin poerd
and OF the general course OF tariit leEis-
! lation. IIc declared that The reanr'.nl, ,
g., the nrice of lumber consequent 10 TIE
tnrIff c,i in the Payne bill had not peeh
less than SO or 81 per thousand; s,
Mr. Skinner said that the Paclnc coaSl
80 narnriIarly ieopard2cd by the reel
, nrncItv nnS " compact. He spoke then OF lhs
acton of congress in the Payne plli. an ano
: e,ia thai this course had been inconslst
o,," T uyirh the presidents declarations
Jn declared that the west was neihs ms
nJeccd on a free trade basis ~niic rne
remainder Of the country was u"o'' '''