Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-04-07

tation and the suppression of competi-
ton. The governors of the states most
deeply affected held meeting to con.
slider how TO prevent the merger be-
coming effective and passed resolu-
tons calling upon the national govern
ment to enforce the antitrust laws
against the alleged combination. When
these resolutions were referred to the
attorney general for consideration and
advice. he reported that in his opinion
the Northern Securities Co. and its
control of the railroads mentioned was
a combination in restraint OF trade and
was attempting monopoly in viola
ton of the national antitrust law
iThereupon suit in equity, which is
now pending, was begun by the gov
eminent to test the validity of this
transaction under tho Sherman law
investigation OF Beef Trust.
At nearly the same time the disclo-
sures respecting the secret rebates en-
joyed by the great packing house COM
panies, coupled with the very high
price of meats, led the attorney general
| to direct an investigation into the
methods of the so-callnd beef trust.
! The result was that he filed bills for
! injunction against six of the principal
packing house companies. and restrain
| ed them from combining and agreeing
upon prices at which they would sell
their products in states other than
those in which their meats were pre-
/ pared for market. Writs of injunction
We're issued accordingly and since
then, after full argument, the United
States circuit court has made the in
/ junction perpetual
Cotton Interests.
The cotton interests of the south
4 including growers, buyers and ship
pers, made complaint that they were
suffering great injury in their business
from the methods of the southern rail
roads in the handling and transporta
ton of cotton. They alleged that these
railroads, by combined action under q
pooling arrangement to support Their
rate schedules, had denied to the ship
pers the right to elect over what roads
: their commodities should be shipped
and that by dividing upon a fixed basis
the cotton crop of the south all induce
ment to compete in rates for the trans
; portation thereof was eliminated. Pro
ceedings were instituted by the attor
: lney general under the antitrust law
which resulted in the destruction o
the pool and in restoring to the grow
ers and shippers of the south the RICH
:. to ship their products over any roaC
| they elected thus removing the re
straint upon freedom of commerce.
After the Salt Company.
! In November, 1902, the attorney gel
eral directed that bill for an injunc
/ ton to be filed in the United States eli
3 cult court at San Francisco against tn
+ Federal Salt Goa corporation whic
! had been organized under the laws o
t an eastern state, but had it's mai
: Office and principal place of business il
: California-and against a number G
, other companies and persons consti
: tuting what was known as the sal
!. trust. These injunctions were to re
: strain the execution of certain con
: tracts between the Federal Salt &C
; and the other defendants, by which tn
latter agreed neither to import, buy o
: sell salt, except from and to the Fee
+ eral Salt Co., and not to engage or as
sist in the production of salt west Q
: the Mississippi river during the cor
= tinuance of such contracts. AS the re
e suit of thes agreements the price {
l salt had advanced about four hundre
t per cent. A tem9ory injunction o.
: ider was obtained which the defendant
= asked the court to modify on tn