The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-26
At TACK To Be MADE
ON ELECTRIC SUPPLY CO.
Indcpendent Dealers Ask Attorney
General to Take ActiOn--A Long
List of Charges Made.

Chicago. ILL.,. May 26-Complaint Is to
be filed with Attorney General Knox that
the Electrical Supply Dealers associa-
ton of the United States is a trust. In
formation is being collected by independ-
ent electrical supply dealers. When they
act. which will be soon, they will ask
the attorney general TO proceed against
the association under the Sherman law.
| The charges made against the associa-
| ton. which has its headquarters in Chi
| cago. are:
That II was organized with the delib-
crate purpose of restraining trade and
destroying competition.
That II has partitioned the selling terri
tory of the United States into three divi-
sions-Eastern, Western and Southern
and in these divisions 1t permits or pre-
vents the sale OF electrical supplies.
That 1t fixes the wholesale and retail
prices for electrical supplies arbitrarily.
within the last six months has raised the
same from twenty-five to one hundred
per cent without legal justification.
That the association maintains a boy
colt against competitive dealers. black
list for recalcitrant members, and sys-
TEN of spies by which all infractions of
the rules and regulations are reported.
That a system of fines is maintained,
which are imposed upon members for
cutting prices, selling to boycotted or
blacklisted dealers. or disposing of goods
In any way but the way prescribed by the
association.
That between FIVE thousand and six
thousand small wholesale and retail cleo
trical supply dealers of the United States
have been forced out of business by the
operations of the association.
That so arbitrary are the rules of the
association no purchaser can buy any art
icle of supply except in the quantity and
at the price fixed by 1t.
That supply dealers in the association
are forced to accept regularly a printed
supply slip containing prices fixed by the
association, and that they must abide by
these price rules, which cover also equal
izing, freight. boxing, carriage, etc.
That these slips are printed blue. yell
low, white, green, etc, at different times
in an effort made by the association to
conceal that II is evading the Antitrust
law.
That the association Is allied with the
Electrical Manufacturers association. or
trust. with the Copper and Insulator
trust and also with the Glass trust. and
thereby acquires extraordinary power
over trade.
THAT II depresses or elevates the mar
ket at the bidding of these allied trusts,
and not with regard to the laws of supply
and demand.
That IL Is not incorporated or capital
lied but has a written agreement asso-
citation; that this agreement is viola
ton of the Antitrust law and that the
association should be brought into court
and ordered dissolved.
ORGANIZED TWO YEARS AGO.
The Electrical Supply Dealers associa-
ton was organized about two years ago
ostensibly TO promote trade, secure mar
mony I'm prices and enable the little
dealers to exist alongside OF the Dig
capitalists I'm the same line OF business
The association was lauded at the time
as calculated to benefit the public and
members alike.
II is asserted by the Independents that
the association was not six months old
before II began to crush out competition.
Small dealers were bought out when
possible but when that was Impossible
prices were cut under them. members OF
The association were ordered not to sell
TO them under penalty of fine and expul-
sion. and they were forced to the wall.
The opposition has secured complete
list of members OF the organization In
the United States, and these are the frms
or individuals whom the independent
supply dealers desire the government TO
prosecute The list given herewith In
cludes the names of officers OF the asso-
cations division of the west. Capitalized
names are those of persons In charge oil
the sales departments OF large corpora
tions that decline TO formally enter the
organization. but permit their representa-
tives to agree to association rules:
ALLEGED MEMBERS OF THE TRUST,
w. w. Lowe, president Of the western
division of the alleged trust and president
OF the Electrical Appliance company, OF
Chicago.
Charles T. Brown, secretary of the
western division of the alleged trust and
secretary of the Central Electrical COM
pany of Chicago
G.. A. overbaugh, assistant secretary Of
the western division OF the alleged trust,
Chicago.
Members Of the eastern division are:
T.. W. ROCKEFELLER, Western Elec-
trical company. New York.
r BERAN. General Electric company,
New York.