The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-11-15
HIS SHARP STICK.
Senator Ward Is Using It on
Harvester Trust.
Made a Mistake in Trying to Co.
cree Him.
MUST PAY THE FEE.
Thinks They Should Pay the
State $4,000.
Plan of Trust to Raise Price of
HarveSters.
lUST PAY THE FEE.

Senator r. B. Ward of Belleville is af-
ter the International Harvester company
with a sharp stick-likewise with the
Kansas corporal ton law. Senator Ward
is i'll the implement business at Belleville.
During the past year he has bought har-
vesters under a contract for $50 cash or
s95 time. Recently one of the divisions
of the International Harvester company,
which is supposed to be a. merger of
number of the big harvester manufactur-
ing companies of the country, sent an
agent around to renew its contract with
Senator Ward, but it moved up the price
five dollars on each machine Ward re-
fused to sign up then because he thought
he might do better. The agent said that
all the companies in the merger had the
same price.
Ward then suggested that there are still
few Independent companies that ne
might do business with, but the agent
said if he dared to patronize them the
m erger would put an agent in Befleville
who would cut prices and run him out of
business. That made Ward mad He said
he didn't depend on selling harvesters for
a living and that If a war was started
which would save the farmers $40 or SIS
each machine it would not hurt him
any. And he went to say that If the
International Harvester company could
dictate as it claimed to be able to do it
was time the law was looking after it,
and he added, eff the law we have now
time, I will endeavor to get one through
the coming legislature that will do it
This cooled the agent off, and it was
not long before another came around who
talked more conciliatory, but he got no
contract Yesterday Senator Ward came
to Topeka to look up the standing of the
International Harvester company in the
state He found that it has never paid
it's license fee TO do business in Kansas,
but came into the state on the authority
of he Ix-o11 1ran
The Milwaukee company was capitalized
at only 81, O0oO 900, while the International
is capitalized at $5O0O0,O00. Assistant Sec
rotary Hill P. Wilson stated that the In
ternationa1 represented that it is not a
new manufacturing concern but simply a
sales" company to handle the output of
the companies which compose it.
The Milwaukee company notified the
secretary of state that 1t had changed its
name to the International Harvester COM
pany, but did not ask for d new permit
to do business in Kansas.
The matter was referred yesterday to
Assistant Attorney General West, who
said that if the International is simply
sales company it is a combine in viola
ton of Sherman antitrust law If it is
a merger 1t should be compelled to keep
out of the state or pay its charter fee of
$40. 100
II do not care to pick a quarrel with
anybody" said Senator Ward. "bHt will
not be throttled by any concern or any
body. Neither can a trust agent work
footpad methods on me to force me to
enter into contract. That there is a
nigger in the woodDile' is evident by the
manner in which the harvester company
sneaked into the state. If it is a pool it
should be prosecuted under the Sherman
antitrust act; if a merger it should be
compelled to toe the mark and put up the
$40 100 fee to the state for license. The
so-called merger was formed on the pre-
text of reducing expenses. It's first act is
to raise the price of harvesters IS each TO
the farmers. In Kansas, where the har-
voster trust has such a profitable field, it
should be compelled to pay its lawful
license fee