The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-04-18
The Texas Trust Bill.


The following are the provisions of the
bill recently passed by the Texas Legislature
and signed by the governor, defining
trusts and providing penalties and pun
iehment of corporations, persons, firms
and associations of persons connected
with them, and to promote free competi
ton in the state of Texas:
Section IA trust is combination of
capital, skill or acts by two or more per-
sons, firms, corporations or associations
of persons, or of either two or more OF
them, for either any or all of the follow
ing purposes:
trade.
2. To limit or re duce the production, or
increase or reduce the price of merchan-
disc or commodities.
3. To prevent competition in manufac
ture, making, transportation, sale or pur
chase of merchandise, produce or COM
modities.
4. To fix at any standard or figure,
whereby it's price to the public shall be in
any manner controlled or established, any
article or commodity of merchandise, pro-
duce or commerce intended for sale, use
OE COusuulp OiOA III phio opouos
5. To make or enter into, or execute or
carry out any contract, obligation or
agreement of any kind or description by
which they shall bind or have bound them
selves not to sell, dispose of or transport
any article or commodity or article of
trade use, merchandise commerce or con-
sum ptiop, below a common standard fig
ure, or by which they shall agree in any
manner to keep the price of such article,
commodity or transportation at fixed or
graduated figure, or by which they shall in
any manner establish or settle the price of
any article or commodity or transporta-
ton between them or themselves and Others
to preclude free and unrestricted COM
petition among themselves or Others in
the sale or transportation of any such ar
tice or commodity or by which they shall
agree to pool, combine or unite any inter
est they may have in connection with the
sale or transportation of any such article
or commodity that its price might in any
manner be affected.
| Section 2-Any corporation holding q
charter under the laws of the state of
Texas which shall violate any of the pro-
visions of this act shall thereby forfeit
lts charter and franchise, and its corporate
existence shall cease and determine.
| Section 3-For q violation of any of the
provisions of this act by any corporation
mer toned herein, it shall be the duty of
the attorney general or district or county
attorney, or either of them, upon his own
motion and without leave or order Of any
court or Judge, to institute suit or quo
warranto proceedings in Travis county,
at Austin or at the county seat of any
county in the state where such corpora
ton exists, does business or may have a
domicile, for the forfeiture of its charter,
rights and franchises and the dissolution
of Its corporate existence.
Section Avery foreign corporation
violating any of this act is hereby denied
the right and prohibited from doing any
business within this state, and it shall be
the duty of the attorney general to enforce
this provision by IL junctioD or other
proper proceeding in the district court of
Travis county in the name of the state of
Texas.
Section 5-The provisions of chapter
4S, general laws of this state, approved
July 9, 1879, to prescribe the remedy and
regulate the proceedings by quo wsrranto,
ETC., shall, except in so far as they may
conflict herewith, govern and control the
proceedings when instituted to forfeit any
charter under this act.
Section 6-Any violation of either or
all the provisions of this act shall be and
is hereby declared conspiracy against
trade, and any person who may be or may
become engaged in any such conspiracy,
or take part therein, or aid or advise in
its commission, or who shall act as prin
cipal, manager, director, agent, servant
or employe, or in any other capacity,
knowingly carry out any of the stipula,
tions, purposes, prices, rates or orders
Hereunder or in pursuance thereof, shall
be punished by fine of not less than $50
nor M re than $4,000, and by imprison-