The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-02-09
THE ANTITRUST BILL.

To the Editor: In your issue of this
morning you make some favorable COM
ments on the Stevens bill. known as the
'.Anti-prust Bill" You advocate IT'S
passage. supposing it will help the cltl-
zens of our State and infiict PUNISH
ment upon the great corporations OF our
country that are controlling business
in many branches by the combination
of capital. You are eXcusable Tor ac-
ccpting this theory as true ana Delig
led astray by the caption OF tle DILL
because you have probably had no OPP
portunity of knowing the result OF me
massage of this bill upon the business
interests of our State.
This bill makes it an offence for any
individual or corporation to enter INTO
any agreement with any other mdlvid-
ual or corporation within or without
the State whereby prices are controlled
or supplies restricted. This provision
would be very acceptable to lie ana
doubtless to all the merchants OF our
State if the punishment prescribed
could be inflicted upon the offending
CORPORATIONS, but the fact exists that
there are no trusts in North Carolina,
and our Legislature is powerless to m
Hict punishment upon the corporations
of New York and New Jersey, the home
of these great organizations. The pm
ishment, then, to be inflicted VIII he
upon our own citizens who make con
tracts with these trusts. | Will give
Won an example of the practical work
ing of this bin upon our state. Every
one will admit that we must nave
sugar. To get it we must have
it from a trust, or we must enter into
an agreement with the refiners to
observe a uniform selling price, known
i'm commercial circles as the Equality
Plan" This plan simply means that the
price of sugar is the same whether sold
from Raleigh. Wilmington or New
York. delivered at any given point. You
can readily see that this simple method
of disposing of sugar puts the small
dealer in North Carolina on an equal
basis with the great centres Of trade
throughout the country. the result be-
ing that while there was not whole
sale grocer in North Carolina outside
of Wilmington, ten years ago they
are now doing a fairly paying business
in Charlotte, Winston, Greensboro,
Salisbury. Raleigh, Henderson, Kin
ston. Goldsboro. Rocky Mount, New
bern. Elizabeth City, Washington and
other places, representing llllllOHS 81
capital This growth is directly due
to the contract system of selling goods.
or in other words the ability Of the
small merchant in North Carolina TO
sell goods to his neighbor as low as
he can buy anywhere on earth.
The purpose of the Stevens bill will
cripple these immense INTERESTS, be-
cause it prohibits contracts. Thu
men who have built up these important
interests are the progressive men of
the State; they build up the cities and
furnish money TO the farmer on which
to make his crop. They are the largest
contributors to the Democratic cam
paign fund, and are entitled to the
protection of the laws and the con-
sideration of their neighbors. l vouch
for the truth of every word of this
statement, and knowing it TO be true,
i cannot believe that you will support
Il bin fraught with such direful con-
sequences.
There are other potential reasons
why this bill should not pass, but /
fear to trcspass further upon your val
liable columns. Thanking you for your
kind indulgence, / remain.
l. Yours truly.
/ J. G. STEVENSON