Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1916-09-09

| that considerable evidence was nre-
! sented which might excite susnicion
! mat such combinations had been mad,
ana were in existence" 1t seems
/ therefore. that the only course left for
/ me government to pursue is to engage
/ III me manufacture of paper for itself
ana IN this regard it is very fortu-
| h&tely situated, as has already been
pointed out, in the ownership of prac-
tlcally everything necessary to carry
out the enterprise successfully.
To Aid Newspapers.
In addition to providing paper for
the government at cost price. it is nro-
posed by the bill to aid newspaper and
ether publishers in securing if for their
use at fair price. The cost of pro-
ouclng paper. particularly newsprint
Paper mas long been a mooted Uues-
.Ion. 1t was investigated at great
length by a select committee in 1o0s
and again by the tariff board in 1911
Eut is still a subject of much contro'-
Vcrsy. The bill proposes, therefore
Lhat the public printer shall keen an
accurate and ftemiZed account of tho
'oSl per ton OF the product of the gov
eThment paper mill and report same
10 congress annually. It is believed
that this report as to cost will he of
ln-etlmabie value in determining a fair
PRICE TO be charged by paper manufac-
turers.
Inc Dill also provides that If the
lubIlc printer shall have anv surn1us
On hand after supplying the needs of
the government, such surplus shall he
soId by him at not less than cost. II ,s
t SeIIe'eo that this surplus product may
H"Ve some erect in preventing exor- |
bltant prices for paper in the future |
nat the pubic printers price per ton |
may represent an adequate charge for
the paper the secretary of the in1ario-
ana the secretary of agriculture are
directed to sell to him the necessary
raw materials obtained from the pub
nc lands at fair price" so that all
elements or cost will enter into the re-
pert submitted by the public printer az
10 the operation of his plant.
Utilization Of the forest reserves
ahd water power sites now owned nv
me government is really one of the i'm
portant features of the bill II Is a
most Wasteful policy to leave these
forests and watar
power sites in idleness when thew can
70 readily turned to such great adj
'antage. This policy of the govern
lient mas been taken advantage of. nm
ioobtedly, by the paper manufacturers
q greatly increase the price of their .
'wn product. having no fear at pres-
nj or competition from the materials !
nat are locked up in the governments [
asst store houses. AS a matter Of ]
act the government has not even I
cen able to dispose OF its wood TO the [
'ulp mills OF the United States. though {
mas large quantities on hand at
resent. Pulp and paper manufac- {
urers have been declaring that high |
rlces or paper are due to the scarcity '
M excessive cost OF wood pulp due I
rlncipally 10 the difficulty OF Obtain G
lg pulp from Canada and existing war
onditions. The president. however,
az Just made public a letter from the .
ecretary of agriculture, under date of
ug. 3, 1916. setting forth the fact that :
ie forest service has offered for sale ;
lfRe quantities of timber favorable !
'F pulp operation but that up to the q
'esent time 1t has not been able to {,
axe such sales. This statement from 8
ie secretary OF agriculture compIete- =
retutes the claim of the paper mann =
-cturers that their present prices are :,
1e 10 the scarcity of pulp making ma g.
f3als The secretary OF agriculture. :,
iys In this regard. in his letter CON .,
'rning the print paper situation: :,
The forest service has offered "
Tor sale at various times larga
amounts or timber on the national n
forests In logging chances favor al
able for pulp operations. These N