Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-01-18
O., THURSDAY, JANUARY 18, 1912.
Washington Correspondence.
BY CLYDE H. TAvENNER.


that is worth hundreds of thou
sands of dollars annually to the
paper trust, by refusing to remove
the tax from print paper and wood
pulp.
When the reciprocity bill was
passed provision was tackled to
it providing for the free admission
of print paper and wood pulp
from Canada. This provision be-
came law whether the reciprocity
act was agreed to by Canada or
not. Therefore, although reci-
procity failed, print paper and
wood pulp are now admitted free
from Canada.
Five nations which ship paper
to America-Sweeden, Norway,
Denmark, Germany and Austria
Hungary-immediately demanded
of the United States the right to
also ship print paper and wood
pulp to this country free of duty.
"We have treaties with you,"
declared these countries to the
United States, sin which you
agree to extend to US the same
concessions you extend to the
most favored nations, Therefore
we demand to ship our paper and
wood pulp into your country free
OF duty the same as Canada"
Obviously, this argument is un-
answerable.
However, the President has an
nounced, through the treasury de-
partment, that a tax will be col
lected as heretofore on all print
paper imported from any other
country than Canada. The Presi-
dent advises the European ma
tions to appeal to the Customs
Court Of Appeals, which, it is de-
clared, is only a subterfuge. Pres
ident Taft has declared he is will
ling to concede the justice of de-
mands for cheaper paper, but
when the opportunity offers, his
acts refute his words, and show
that he is willing to violate
treaties with five friendly nations
rather than to give even a slight
concession to freer trade.
The tariff on print paper is to
all practical ends a tax on intelli-
gence, because in this day and
age the great mass of the people
receive their education on public
questions through the newspapers.
With print paper practically con-
trolled by a trust, the price has
been Systematically boosted, so as
to work a hardship on prosperous
publishers, and to make print
paper nigh on to prohibitive to
many of the small, country pub
fishers whose earning are not any
too great at best.
Meanwhile there is pending a
bill introduced by Senator Hey =
burn, which proposes to repeal the
| Canadian reciprocity act. Having
been rejected by Canada, the law
is dead without being repealed.
But If the act is repealed, the live
added section providing for free
print paper would also be repeal
ed, and the old tax on Canadian
paper would be restored.
Since the tax on Canadian paper
and pulp has been repealed, 81 in
dependent paper companies, rep
resenting capitalization OF
eighty three million dollars, have
started up in opposition to the
trust. Already there have been
some reductions in prices, and
this explains the reason of the
| joker in the "Hey burn repealer."
SUGGESTION FOR DEMOCRATS.
Why should it not be good
idea for all Democrats, every
where, to hereafter taboo the use
of the word "tariff," and in its
place use the term ''tax," which Ii
what tariff really isp
If every Democratic newspaper
and speaker would use the ex-
preston, ''the Payne -Aldrich tax
bill," instead of 'sthe Payne-Al.
drich tariff BILL" from now until
the polls close on November 5,
there would be little uncertainty
as to the outcome ofthe election.
If the DingIey tariff bill had beer
known and referred to generally az
the Dingley tax bill, and the Nc.
Kinley tariff bill as the McKinl ey
tax bill, and the Payne -Aldrict
tariff bill as the Payne-Aldrict
tax bill, who doubts but that the
Republicans would not now bs
In power?
4 The word tariff is too In.
definite. There are hundreds 81
i thousands Of men who are brouohl