The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-07-09
TRUSTS AND
MONOPOLIES.
Judge AnderSOn'S Charge to the
Grand Jury,
In Regard to the Alleged Combine Be-
tween the Ice Companies in
Nashville.
Vanced by All Dealers the Same
Day, Is Strong CircumstantiaI
Evidence of n Combine.

The Nashville Sun has been wag-
ing relentless war on the trusts and
combines of Nashville, and its la
bors have been productive of much
good. Besides securing for the peo-
$4,000 in cold cash for back taxes
assessed against three corporations
of that city-the Nasville Street
Railway Cumberland Electric Light
and Power Company, and the Union
Light and Power Company-it has
brought the ice manufacturers of
Nashville before the courts to answer
the charge of a conspiracy to eXtort
high prices from the people for this
summer necessity.
Judge J. NJ. Anderson, of the
Criminal Court, last week delivered
special charge to the grand jury in
regard to the Ice Trust. The charge
is superb document, and is not
only "deadener" to the ice trust,
but to every other such combination
in the state. The charge, in part,
is as follows:
Judge AndersOn's Charge.
"Gentlemen of the Grand Jury:
have called you before me this
morning for the purpose of charging
you with reference to the law passed
by the Legislature against the for.
nation of trusts and all other COM
binatiOns and agreements that may
be made or entered into by persons
or corporations for the purpose of
controlling either the supply or the
prices of the commodities of COM
mon use, all food supplies, all things
| that are manufactured out of home
material, or that are imported here
for sale from other places, and that
are considered the necessities of life
Nov, gentlemen of the jury, il
has been conceded by all writers on
political economy ever since there
has been any knowledge on that sub.
ject at all that the happiness and
prosperity of the citizen depends
upon his ability to go into the mar.
ket and buy and sell whatever he
has to buy or sell, for whatever
price that article would bring upon
the market under the operation OF
the law of supply and demand.
"Our Legislature, be it said to its
credit, has ever recognized this
principle, and they passed, severa
years ago, a law against the fOrma.
tion of trusts and conspiracies 81
this character, making it misde
meanOr for all persons who entered
into such agreement or arrange.
ments; the succeeding Legislature
did not deem that a sufficient pro.
vision, and, therefore, they sub
stantially re-enacted the law, eX.
cept that they made all such trusts
combinations and conspiracies 8
felony instead of a misdemeanor.
Now, it seems to me that thai
Act of 1899 was as plain and com
prehensible in its terms as could be
and the penalty severe enough tC
deter all persons from entering into
such agreements or combinations
but the Legislature of 1897, the las
Legislature, passed an act upon thar
question, and it is my duty under
the provisions of that act to give
this to you in charge, especially.
shall not undertake to read the en-
tire act, gentlemen, or all of it's pro
visions, for many of them are moi
german to the inquiry you will be
called upon to make, but | cal
attention to the substance of the
provisions of that act. So far as its
criminal features are concerned, il
is enacted That from and after the
passage of this, which was passed
April 5, 1897, and approved April 30
1897, that all arrangements, con
tracts, agreements, trusts or combi
nations between persons'-now
listen, gentlemen, now com
prehensive these terms are-'al
arrangements, contracts, agree
ments, trusts or combinations be-
tween persons or corporations made
with a view'-listen to this-'or the
necessary effect of which woulC
tend to'-nOw, what? listen-'to les
sen or which tend to lessen full
and free competition in the impor
tation or sale OF articles imported
into this State, or in the manufacture
or sale of articles of domestic growth
or of domestic raw material, and al
arrangements, contracts, agreement;
trusts or combinations designed
that is, made with that purpOse-'Ol
which tend to at once reduce or con
troll the price or cost to the producer
or the consumer of any such articl,
or articles, shall be deemed, and il
hereby declared to be destructive o
full and free competition and con
spiracy against trade, and any per
sons who may be engaged in any
such conspiracy, or who shall al
principal, manager, director or agent
orin any other capacity, knowingl!
carry out any of the stipulations
purposes, prices, rates or order
made in futleranc5 of such cOnspir
acy, Shall, upon conviction, be pun
ished by a fine of not less than 800
nor more than $5,OOO,and by imprisOn
ment in the penitentiary not les
than one year, nor more than tel
! wears, or, in the judgement of tn