Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1922-07-27
M'CUMBER SAYS
PAPERS KILLED
G. P. IN 1912
Claims Move Was For Re
venge Because of New
Print Duties

~ y uAJ "DCAC u L11c
uted Wednesday in the senate by
committee to the refusal of that COM
mlttee three years previously to heed
the demands of newspaper publishers
that print paper be placed on the free
list in the Payne-Aldrich tariff act. His
declaration brought demands from
the Democratic side for full details
and was followed by recitals by SEN
Utah, n McCumber of incidents of
which they said had taken place be-
hind the scenes in congress a decade
6 c.
Senator Robinson, Democrat. Ar
kansas, declared that if Senator Nc
Cumber's statement that the news
Of the country, because they
could not 'intimidate" the financial
committee into giving free news
print, had turned against the Repub-
lican party and defeated it, were true,
it was "a terrible indictment against
the press of the United States, the
men who own it and the men who
control it's policies. Asserting that he
could not accept it without first hav-
ing definite n complete informa-
tion," the Arkansas senator and later
Senator Stanley of Kentucky. de-
manded that Senator McCumber give
tue ildIIleS VI TepF SeAGdIIVe OI INe
publishers who had made threats to
the committee.
Quotes Late J.. L. Norris.
Stating that he wanted to give the
senate the facts Senator Smoet said
the late John I. Norris, representing
the newspaper publishers association
had appeared before a financial sub
committee of which Mr.. Smoot was a
member; had refused to compromise
on the matter of a duty on news
! print and had stated that if a duty
were imposed "the Republican party
will be driven from power" The
Utah senator said he supposed this
was the statement from which Sen
ator McCumber had drawn his "con.
illusions" and added that he did not
think MI. Norris had been authorized
by the publishers to make such a
I statement.
Later reiteraing his original state
ment that spokesman for the publish
ers had told the committee, give us
free print paper Inc we will support
the Republican party n the admin
%istration; refuse to give it and we will
destroy you if WI can" Senator
McCumber said he had been present
ers' representatives and members of
the committee and remembered de-
tails Of them. He added that on one
| occasion when there was a discussion
of a compromise as between a duty
of Sc a to nand $2.40 a ton on the
paper, a publishers representative
had stated that he would not yield
lone damn cent" and that II the
committee failed to make the desired
recommendation for n%ewsprint the
publishers would driv the party from
power if they could.
| Offered Power to Cannon.
Senator Watson Of Indiana told the
senate of what he said had been his
gentlemen" in 1908 when he was a
member of the house, he related that
Mr.. Norris inc the late Herman Rid
der, another representative of the
publishers, had sought to force
through a bill of the then Represent
alive John Sharp Williams of Missis-
sippi, placing newsprint and wood
pulp on the tariff free list. He de-
clared tina Mr.. Norris a visited the
then Speaker Cannon in Cannon's Of
flee and told him in the presence OF
Mr.. Watson and others that If Mr..
Cannon would permit the Williams
bill to go through, the publishers
would start a campaign that would
make him president and that If he re-
fused to let the bill go through, they
would drive him from power.
The Indiana senator related that
Mr.. Cannon sent for his negro mes
senger and instructed him to throw
Mr.. Norris out Of the house If he saw
him there again. Mr.. Cannon then
ordered Mr.. Norris from his office,
Senator Watson continued, adding
that later "those same men with the
same proposition appeared before
the finance committee when the
Payne-Aldrich bill was being consid-
cred and their threats had to be
heard again. ~
Senator Robinson said at the con-
clusion Of the recitals that the Re
publicans had been holding IAN ex-
p%erience meeting not a revival. but
a confession, and he added had failed
to make out their case.