The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1898-01-27

dcaI suw IuIIIs IUr
shipE .ots. Except deal
ers il / who need it must
buy zeal dealer. This local
dealer at trust prices from the
mills. =. , ust prices, the added cost
of transportation and of the local dealers
profits, are accumulated burdens which
the consumer has TO bear. 1t occurs to
me that this is not by any means the cor
rect thing to tolerate Nor is the tolcra-
ton a concession of the law, either in
spirit or letter. The following CORE
spondcncc serves to some extent to dem.
onstrate the workings of this trust, and
emphasizes the pressing necessity of some
rigorous rule in the interests of equitable
commerce between the lumber merchant
and the lumber consumer.
"'Brcmond, Robertson County, Tex,
April II, 1864. J. Rose, Esq, Com.
missioner of Agriculture, etc: Respect
cd Sir read your report, etc, rs pub
lishcd in the Dallas News, in which you
classed all those who dealt in futures
as gamblers, and you thought the pcni-
Tertiary was the proper place for them.
You seem TO feel deep interest in the
welfare Of the farmers. Now, If you de-
sire to do something for the Gibbs mud
sillcrs, / would suggest you step over
and invite Governor Culbcrson to 20
with you to the lumber dealers conyen-
ton, which meets in Austin, on the 18th,
mad see IL you can induce them to do
away with the lumber trust. See If they
will oblgatc themselves not to boycott
any saw mill man that will sell car
load Of lumber to n farmer who desires
to build house. that lives near lum-
Der ysrd on the railroad, and see what
a combination these lumbermcn have
made against every man who is not in the
lumber business. See if you can get
these lumber dealers over Texas, who
sell lumber direct TO the farmers, TO sell
lumber for less than 80 to ~ per cent
profit. Mr.. Halfway is now in Jail Mt
Waco for selling cheap oil to farmers.
Can't You and Governor Culberson per-
Suadc these lumhcrmcn TO allow farmers
and others who want carload of lumber
to buy il direct from the saw mills! II
YOU and the governor will do this Tor the
farmer. they will ever feel grateful to
both of YOU. OF all the trusts and COM
hines that ever were in Texas, this mm-
her trust has been and is today the most
unjust and tyrannical and oppressive.
Go in their secret meetings, where they
all fix prices To rob all those who are
forced to buy of them. Respectfully,
al. G. ROBERTS,
".Austin, Tex. April IA. 1896. Mr.. J.
&. Roberts, Brcmond, Tex: Dear Sir
Replying to your favor of the llth in
slant, beg to say in regard to the lum-
her trust of which you complain that,
in my Judgment. the law is full, unc-
quivocal and positive in it's dcnuncin-
tions of trusts. A previously existing
statute was amended and most materially
strengthened by an act of the last lcgis-
laturc. approved April 30, 1898. Gov
crnor Culhcrson, in his message lp. II,
House Journan, dwclt with marked en-
nhaSis ON this subject, and did his full
duty in directing attention in the line of
protecting consumers against imposition
by trusts and combinations claiming to
he supported by their chartered privileges
He does this, rs you will see by Jtefcr-
cncr 10 the above cited journal under
the significant heading 'ConsHiracicS
Against Trade The law now in force
subjects viniatOrs to Il penalty OF not less
than so nor more than S5O00jand con-
fncmont in the pcnitontiary for q period
of not less than one nor more than ten
wears. or either such fine or impriSon-
mcnt. Each day during the violation Of
this law, constitutes n separate onensc,
and the violator is liable 10 forfeit and
nay the sum of $50 for each day of such
violation. There is no installing the let
ter and the intention Ol the law on the
subject II provides that il shall he the
duty of the attorney general or the dis
triCt attorney or the county attorney TO
prosecute for and recover the same
And such prosecution and recovery may