New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1911-02-10
WILL REPORT M'CALL BILL
Ways and Means Committee
Closes Reciprocity Hearings.
JOHN NORRIS SPEAKS
Advocates Ratification of Paper
Clause-More Protests from
Lumbermen.
fEronn The Tribune EiIrcan

From The Tribune BureauJ
Washington. Feb. a.-After giving lumber
men of the Northwest an opportunity to
present arguments against the lumber pro-
vision, the Ways and Means Committee
closed its hearings on the Canadian reci-
procity bill this afternoon. The committee
will meet In executive session tomorrow
and probably will order the bill favorably
reported TO the House.
Chairman Payne is still III. but may be
able TO attend the meeting tomorrow n
vote for the bill. Representatives Clark
and DalZell. who were absent Yesterday on
account of illness, were present to-day.
The hearing was marked by an arraign.
ment Of the papermakers bv John Norris
of the American Newspaper Publishers
Association. who declared that the paper.
makers were Systematically starving the
market. Mr.. Norris appeared in support
Of the agreement. characterizing IL as ''the
greatest economic advance that has been
made by the United States in the present
generation, because il broadens our mar
kets and promotes interchanges that inn
mediately and directly benefit 70 per cent
of the population.
"All but two OF fifty print paper makers
OF the country" Mr.. Norris declared ARE
violating the Sherman law by restrictins
the use to which the paper they sell car
he put. No print paper can he bought
#. o. b. mill unless the name OF the buyer
the destination of the paper and the use 10
which 1t is to be put are disclosed as vel
as the information that the buyer has no
contract with any other mill"
Mr. Norris said that il was Impossible
for the larger newspapers to obtain quota
tons from more than one mill at any price
The largest buyer in the country, who uses
one hundred thousand tons a year, VII
probably pay an increase Of 100000 wear
for his paper because Of the methods of the
papermakers. Since the passage of the
Payne-Aldrich law, though the duty or
print paper had been reduced 81 q ton
that is, from sc TO s. 70 a ton--the paper
combination has advanced prices 81 80 a
ton, and threatens further advances. Pub.
fishers whose contracts are expiring find
that they cannot get any terms except
from the mill which had supplied them
4 uniform price of s45 q ton has beer
established by the papermakers. II makes
no difference what the freight rate is with
In given zone"
Effect Of Paper Clause.
With reference to the probable effect n
the paper clause Mr.. Norris pointed to thu
inducement which Quebec. for instance
would have TO escape the prohibitive & Z
duty confronting such products from
Quebec under present export restrictions.
The revenues which the province nov
obtains on wood cut from ts crown land
and shipped in manufactured form 10 TIN
United States" he said. will be diverted
from the Quebec treasury to the owner
Of private lands The pressure from hold
ers Of crown lands upon the provincial au
thorites for an opportunity 10 reach IN
greatest market In the world, that of tn
United States will be irresistible and
diplomatic victory in the removal OF re
strictions will have been achieved wlthou
harshness or I'll feeling OF any sort Eacl
side will obtain an advantage, and that !
the element Of good trade"
Don C. Seitz, who followed Mr. Norris
declared that the newspapers were not ask
ing for privileges, but for an open market
5is per cent in the price of paper since tn
reduction OF duty in the Payne-Aldricl
tariff law. TO which Representative Long
worth. Of Ohio. a member OF the commit
tee, replied that hides and other product
had had a similar experience.
Mr. Setz said the high cost Of paper va
not attributable 10 the tariff as much a
II was 10 the paper combination: that tn
paper manufacturers had an ironcla'
agreement; that their industry was in III
hands of a few people, and that II was i'm
possible for the newspapers TO go into tn
open market for their paper. He described
the cost of newspapers and among othe
things declared that less than thirty Of tn
mercantile establishments furnish the bull
of the advertising revenue OF the New Yorl
newspapers.
When the committee announced its in
tention TO close the hearings this Afternoon
Representative Fordney sent out hurry call:
TO the lumbermen. They reached Wash
ington in time to appear this afternoon anc
make a vigorous protest against the free
lumber clause in the agreement. EdwarC
Hines. president OF the National Assocla.
ton OF Lumber Manufacturers. suggeste,
that statements lndl III" loIeStS OF tu
country were controlled by a few peopl
would be found erroneous.
He said: IF the administra ion or any
one has discovered such condition il mus
be through advance reports furnished 10y
Herbert Knox Smith. Commissioner of Cor
porations. The lumbermen don't know any
thing about it. although we have PRACTICAL,
been convicted In the newspapers of sucl
an alliance"
Representative Longworth asked L. T.
Skinner, Seattle lumberman, If the duty II
any way affected the price OF lumber TO tn
consumer. Mr.. skinner said that the retail
lumber dealers had more TO do with th'
price OF that commodity TO the consume
than the manufacturers. He observed tina
In the big cities. like New York, Chicago
and Philadelphia, lumber is lower than II
the more Isolated communities
In addition TO Mr.. Skinner and Mr. TIne
the committee also listened TO the views q
A. !. Wilson, Of Spokane: Herbert w
Blanchard, of Boston. and 4. W Whitehead
Of Wilmington, y. G.
PAVEMENT PROBLEM EXPLAINED
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