The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-01-19
KNOWN AS HOUSE FILE
NO. 90
JUDGE HICKS RESOLUTION
AS To ELECTION CONTESTS Is
PASSED OVER THE DONNEL-
LY OPPOSITION.
SCHEME FOR FREER MARKETS.
Henry FeiE Introduces Bill Which
Is Intended TO Better Trade
Conditions.

A bill presented in the house yester-
day by Representative Johns, of Ram
sey, attracted no little amount of at
tention. 1t was H. F. 60 and is sub
stantially the same bill passed few
days since by the state legislature of
Georgia. It is an antitrust bill, and In
its general composition and provisions
is perhaps the most sweeping antitrust
bill on the statute books of any state,
including, as it does, paragraphs cover
ing coal, oil, flour, wheat, and, in fact,
a great many other trusts. The bill,
stripped of it's lengthy title and tech
nical paragraphs. is appended
Be it enacted by the legislature of the state
of Minnesota:
Section 1. That from and after the pas
sage OF this act, all arrangements, agreements,
trusts or combinations between persons or
corporations made with a view to lessen, or
which tend to lessen, full and free compe-
tition in the importation sale of articles
imported into this state. or in the manufact-
ure or sale of articles of domestic growth or
of domestic raw material, and all arrange
ments, contracts, agreements, trusts or COM
binat1ons between persons or corporations
designed, or which tend to advance, reduce
or control the price or the cost to the pro-
Queer or to the consumer of any such prod
uct or article, are hereby declared to be
against public policy, unlawful and void
Sec. 2. Be it further enacted by the au-
thority aforesaid, that any corporation, char
tered under the laws of this state, which
shall violate any of the provisions of this
act shall thereby forfeit its charter and its
franchise, and its corporate existence shall
thereupon cease end determine. Every for
eign corporation, which snail violate any of
the provisions of this act, is hereby denied
the right to do so, and is prohibited from
doing, business in this state. 1t is hereby
made the duty of the attorney general of the
state to enforce this provision by due proc
eSs Of law.
See. 3. Be it further enacted by the au-
thority aforesaid, that any violation of the
provisions of this act shall be deemed, and is
hereby declared to be destructive of full and
free competition and a conspiracy against
trade, and any person or persons who may
engage in any such conspiracy, or who SHALL
as principal, manager, director, agent
or in any other capacity knowingly carry
out any of the stipulations purposes, prices
rates or orders made in furtheranee of such
conspiracy, on conviction, be punished by a
fine Of not less than one hundred ($10O) OF
more than five thousand dollars IS, 000) and
by Imprisonment in the penitentiary not less
tnan one year or not more than ten years !;
or, in judgment of the court by either such
fine or such Imprisonment.
Sec. 4. Be it further enacted by the au-
thority aforesaid that the provisions of this
act shall not apply to agricultural products
or live stock while in the possession of the
producer or raiser.
Sec. 5. Be it further enacted by the au-
thority aforesaid, that any person or persons
or corporations that may be injured or dam
aged by any such arrangement, contract
agreement, trust or combination described in
section Of this act, may sue for and re-
cover, in any court of competent Jurisdiction
in this state, of any person, persons on COR
poration operating such trust Or combina-
tin, the full consideration or sum paid by him
or them for any goods, wares, merchandise
or articles, the sale Of which is controlled
by such combination or trust
Sec. 6. Be it further enacted by the au-
thority aforesaid, that it shall be the duty
of the judges OF the district courts of this
state specially to instruct the grand juries
as to the provisions of this act