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NOVEMBER 15, 1:107
The Commoner
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MrCURBeNT PICS il
TOM L. JOHNSON'S majority in Cleveland ex
ceeded 9,000. Columbus and Cincinnati
each elected a republican mayor. In the Dela
ware light where prohibition was tho Issuo
license prevailed in two districts and prohibition
In two districts. The 'Associated Press says:
"Tho license districts are tho city of Wilming
ton, with a population of about 90,000 and about
250 bars; rural Newcastle county, with a popu
lation of about 40,000 and about thirty drink
ing places. The prohibition districts aro Kent
county, with a population of 35,000 and about
twenty drinking bars, and Sussex county, 40,000
population and about twenty-five drinking bars."
IN SALT LAKE CITY John F. Bransford, tho
anti-Mormon candidate for mayor was
elected by a large majority. In Massachusetts
Governor Guild, republican, was re-elected by
a plurality approximating 100,000. In Rhode
Island Governor Higgins, democrat, was re-elected.
The Rhode Island legislature will be re
publican thus assuring the election of Wetmore
to the senate. In Maryland the demo
crats won, electing Austin L. Crothors
governor and tho entire state ticket by substan
tial pluralities, the legislature also being demo
cratic. This means the election to the senate
of former Governor John W. Smith and the re
election of Senator "William Pickney Whyte. In
New Jersey the republican candidate won by
7,000 plurality. The legislature will be repub
lican in both branches. In San Francisco Mayor
Taylor, reform candidate, was elected by a
plurality of 11,000. In Kentucky Augustus
Wilson, republican, was elected by about 14,000.
The legislature will be democratic. ,
AT THE recent' session of the American, News
papers' Association resolutions were adopt
ed declaring: "First That the authority of ex
isting statutes for repression of trade combina
tions may be invoked. Second That tho de
fiance of recent judicial action prohibiting par
ticipation in such combination by certain west
ern mills may be punished. Third That the
president may be put into possession of informa
tion which shall equip him to advise congress
of the abuse of tariff favors by papermakers."
The resolutions also declared that the duty on
printing paper, wood pulp and all material en
tering the manufacture of printing paper should
be immediately repealed.
IN' PURSUANCE of these resolutions a com
mittee called upon the president, the com
mittee including John Morris of the New York
Times, Medill McCormick pf the Chicago Tribune,
George Thompson of the St. Paul Dispatch, Dele
van Smith of the Indianapolis News, John East
man of the Chicago Journal, Walter Pago of
World's Work, Dr. Albert Shaw of the Review
of Reviews, E. J. Ridgeway and the presidents
of the national organizations of the allied print
ing trades. The president's attention was called
to the alleged conspiracy whereby the makers
of news print papers have arranged for an ad
vance of $12 per ton upon the supply of that
article for the current year and for an additional
advance next year averaging $10 per ton.
THE PUBLISHERS who called upon the presi
dent explained that the proposed advances
mean a burden imposed on the printing industry
of the country of -$10,000,000 for the present
year and $19,000,000 for the coming year. The
excuse for these advances on the part of tho
paper makers is that coBt of wood and labor
has increased. This excuse was met in the
argument to the president by the statement that
the published report of the largest manufac-
turer of news print paper gives the increased
cost of material and manufacture, including the
expense of administration and sales, as about
sixty-four cents per ton. The president was" told
that the present plan of increasing the price of
paper had its inception twelve years ago, in a
proposition to unito tho paper mills into one
pool or corporation. The first stop in tho pro
gram was, it was stated, accomplished when tho
promoters Induced congress to fix a tariff duty
of $6 per ton for news print papor. It Is this
tariff, it is understood, tho president has prom
ised to urgo congress to repeal. Tho next step,
which has encountered many delays, tho presi
dent was told, was consummated by tho creation
of a combination to oxhaust tho surplus paper,
to cause a paper famino and to raise prices.
THE SAD plight in which newspaper publish
ers find themselves is told by tho Associat
ed Press in this way: "Publishers who apply
for quotations realize that in some inlangiblo
way their supply has been predetermined, and
the price thoy aro to pay also arranged for thom.
In each case, tho statement stated, tho publishers
all mado bi;ls, but tho paper was held at a pro
hibitory price. He also finds that ho has, no
remedy against the supply of Inferior paper,.
Publishers who mako inquiry of one mill find
that others have been advised of tho Inquiry.
It was represented that Canadian mills can and
do pay a $6 per ton duty, and still find it profit
able to sell in tho United States. At tho samo
time tho American mills arc selling abroad in
competition with Canada, Great Britain, Cor
many and Norway. It was stated to tho presi
dent that paper makers operating fairly equipped
mills have made long profits during the past
ten years at prices averaging less than $40 per
ton, and that a soiling price of between $55 and
$00 per ton as now proposed would mean a
daily tribute of $45,000 paid by tho paper con
sumers to the alleged combination. Evidence
is obtainable in government records, it was
claimed, that paper mills in tho United States
and Canada aro making paper at a cost of less
than $28 per ton. Mystification has been used,
it was asserted, to show that tho cost of labor
had greatly increased, but this was refuted by
tho statement that the entire cost of labor in tho
manufacture of a ton of papor amounted to less
than $2.40. Not one-twentieth of tho advance
in news print, it was stated, would go to labor.
Because of the export or 60,000 tons of print
paper during the past season, and tho claim of
the manufacturers that the domestic stock Is
practically exhausted, coupled with the shutting
down of the mills on various pretexts, leads tho
publishers to the belief that an attempt is be
ing made to create a paper famine. Many news
paper proprietors, It was claimed, are unable to
obtain any quotations for paper for next year,
and do not know whore to obtain a supply."
A WRITER IN the Nashville Tennessean says:
"These are the. things which are telling
today in the financial situation and which it is
well to keep in mind when panic talk is heard:
Enormous demand for American staples abroad,
signal development of financial situation. Pro
ducts of fields and mines of the west and south
being rushed to European markets, to bring
millions of gold into the country. Wheat, cot
ton, copper, tobacco and meats now being ex
ported. Tobacco exports to bring $100,000,000.
Copper sales abroad for dno day aggregate $14,
000,000. Gold imports of $2,000,000 make
total engagements of $30,000,000. Fifty Bhips
In harbor of New Orleans loading cargoes for
foreign ports. Demand for wheat on continent
will prevent foreign bankers from retaining
gold."
IN HIS MESSAGE to tho special session of the
Alabama legislature, Governor Comer de
clared that the control and regulation of the 'rail
roads by the state Js a question of more impor
tance than the making of rates or any other mat
ter since it involves the question of right of tho
state to control its Internal affairs. The mes
sage goes on to say that President Smith of tho
Louisville & Nashville railroad has held out
against Alabama laws whilo other have put thom
in effect; has defied the state and it people by
conducting a lobby at tho capitol and openly
admitting that his company has influenced legls-
Afti ?n ,n tno paat; 1,as ca,,tJ(1 lo governors ot
Alabama and Gcorgln popullstlc; has raised rates
ovor night In doflnnco of stnto lawn, and has gen
erally refusod to recognize tho right of tho stato
to make laws applying to transportation com
panies. That tho Alabama rato laws aro not
confiscatory Is evidenced, tho govornor says, by
tho fact that they prevail In other nearby states
and provldo profit. Financial troubles havo not
grown out of tho laws mndo to control corpora
tions, but out of the rascality of tho high finan
ciers, and the producor of tho cotton of tho south
is now coming to save tho country from panic.
Tho Loulsvlllo & Nashville railroad is charged
with manipulating to. prevent use of waterways,
to mako rules handling coal, demurrngo and
frolght that aro arbitrary and generally to con
trol tho state to tho detriment of tho people.
o
THE WASHINGTON correspondent for tlio
Cklcago Record-Herald says: "While
Prosldont Uoosevolt does not admit that ho has
In any way cnnlrlbiitod to tho present financial
situation, ho has become convinced that ho Is
a very Important factor In it so far ns It may
bo Improved, and tho cause for irritation and
excltomont romoved. That ho is deeply con
cerned that tho tondency to unsettle values docs
not go on Is Impressed on nil who havo discussed
any of tho phages of tho matter with him. Ono
of tho most hopeful signs Is that there has been
created already a much hotter feeling and a
fuller understanding between Mr. Roosevelt
and tho great financiers of the country. This
is regarded hero as tho most substantial progress
that has boon mado toward bettering things
financially. Undeniably tho president had deep
resentment because of tho whirlwind of 'denun
ciations which greeted his Provlncotown speech,
and there woro lingering' ovldoicos at It wiioi
ho spoko at Nashville, less than two weeks ago,
saying that he was not responsible for tho sit
uation In Now York, and even if ho had con
tributed to It he would continue his policies
without change 'throughout tho remaining
eighteen months of his term.' But In tho faco
of tho great danger which was threatened week
before last much of the president's resentment
has died out and there are evidences that ho
will yiold to tho counsels of all his friends and
do nothing to keep alive the turmoil and excite
ment which follow every speech on tho prob
lems Involved In his policies for correcting evils,
bringing corporations Within federal law and
punishing 'wealthy malefactors.' This does not
mean that the course of justice in suits and pro
ceedings now under way will be stayed, per
haps, but It Is the understanding here that many
of the things of which capitalists havo
have complained will be stopped or mitigated.
In other words, the country is likely to have
a much greater 'rest' because of tho sensitive
tendency of credit than It otherwise would havo
had at tho next session of congress. From tho
best information obtainable here as to the prob
abilities of presidential action, it is quite certain
that there will be not nearly so many sticks of
giant powdor In the annual message as were
foreshadowed a few months ago. If those near
tho president and relied on him In times of
great stress have their way there will not even
be one dynamite stick. The president seems to
realize that tho injection anew of all these ques
tions into the arena of discussion at a time when
credit is thinly expanded and tho whole country
is frightened might produce very serious results.
He has been advised to go for ono thing at a
time rather than a half-dozen, any one of which
would be sufficient to keep congress reasonably
busy when not occupied with preparing and pas
sing appropriation bills."
FROM ACROSS THE SEA
The New York World prints in display type
this statement by the London Telegraph: "The
New York World holds an unassailable",
position in Amorlca as an independent news
paper, unbought and unbuyable."
Has any ono entertained a suspicion,. or
spoken a word to call forth this certificate-of
character from across the 3ea?
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