The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-02-12
SUNDAY. FEBRUARY p, 1909
TRrsrs IN NORTH oAnOLINA.

The North Carolina Legislature is now
wrestling with an antitrust bill. ana
the News and Observer says that there
ought TO be no hesitation about passing
the most stringent antitrust bin that
can be drawn such measure
adds "ought not 70 injure capital invest
cd in legitimate business. but trusts
ought 10 be ouuawed." But that is the
rock upon which an antitrust legislation
breaks. II is impossible IN this day to
enact laws against trusts which VIII not
lniure legitimate business" and we
think that the North Carolina solons viii
find this out before the discussion Is
ended. For one thing the original bill
has already been amended so as TO pro-
vide that q shall not apply 70 "agricul-
tural products while in the hands Of the
producers. nor TO the lumber interests
OF the State. nor shall IL prevent cotton
mills from regulating the amount Of their
output" Here then Is q discrimination
az the outset IN favor Of three classes
the farmer. the lumber dealer and the
cotton manufacturer. The trainers OF
the bin have already satisfied themselves
that their ant-trt 81 law will injure these
classes. and so they make an exception
IN their favor. These may follow trust
methods as much as they Ike.
But % would appear from a recent dis
cusslon before the committee which has
the bin in charge that other classes IN
North Carolina will also be affected by
this bin. II 81 becomes law. This dis
cussion s. so interesting and illustrates
So well the point that we would make
that we reproduce a part OF fl from the
News and Observer:
Mr. Stevenson was the first speaker
Tie banan hy declaring his eternal OPP
posftfon % trusts and then proceeded
IN point out the evils ihat must iolo"
A. the wake Of amy State law regula'
ing the ofi-denouncod octopus.
Tho particular bin before the commit
tee he conteuded would not hurt
eincle trust but would destroy, root ana
branch. the jobblns business h NoI"'
Carolina. .h.
III viii kin what IS known az the
roualltv Plan. among grocers. fIior
TO the adoption Of this plan the w"o.e-
sale grocery business was oone Noit"
Now the smallest iobber in me Stale
can compete with the biggest Joooer lh
New York.
"Ten years ago there Nos not a whole
sale iobbing house In North carolina.
excent In wilmington. And those there
wee able TO exist only 90 account OK
water transportation NoW theIe aye
twenfv-two such wholesale houses IN
Wilmington. Also there are wholesale
f1bbine houses IN TaTboro Rocky Mount
Charlotte Ncwbern. Henderson, w ms
ton. Greensboro and other places y ney
have ai grown out OF thls equality plan
~ selling goods The North Carolina
man now has the same opportunity IN
selling goods rs has the New York ana
Philadelphia merchant
Mr. stevens-"Has che North Carolina
man the onnorturity to uncerseG the New
York or Philadelphia mani"
Mr. eteverson-"ff he had the New
Work. man would have the same oppor-
turitv ard would come here and knock
him out II s. simply question ot
whether Won want to drive ont ot lusi-
ness the immense interests bust up on
THIS Equality Plan.
"You VIII. by this bill. hurt no. only
frr hrFlMNft NfNE anu ".t''' .At'H''f
and indeed every sort of business row
done FRI the state by Wholesale jobbers.
"Thc business MGR. ore win yon in r"v
EFFORT 10 control trusts but they don't
want 10 be destroyed along with them.
ssThe bill dce'rovs The credit ~ toe
merchants ~ North Carolina. We are
bound TO have sugar, tobacco. coffee.
molassea and the like We VIII have 70
paw cash end the merchant VIII tho-e-
fore have 70 pay cash. then the con-
sumner must pay cash and on down the
line"
NJ. Stevens asked n Ell these argn-
ments except perhaps the last, would
not apply % any law regulating trusts.
Afr. Stevenson thought they could.
The wholesale drug business was rep
resented by Mr ~ l. Richardson. OF
Greensboro. Tie acknowledged that all
iobbers On an sorts ~ goods had 20 sign
contracts not % cot prices ond acreef
with Mr.. Stevenson shat The bin would
eliminate the iobbor from North Caro-
lima lie SAID their business would be
done BY sobbers ~ other States
he argued that trusts reduced prices
sno were therefore public benefactors
calling ~ mans TIE Sugar Trust and tho
STANDARD on Company, He didn't think