Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1903-02-10
The INTERNATIONAL HARVESTER co
Plans to EstpblIsh Peonage.

Pduy VI Am6rlCd Has pau W luCISdSc
the costof harvesting and moving ma
chinery to the people of the United
States. Heretofore there has been
competition among the manufacturers
of these articles. The Mccormick, the
Deering, the Plano, the Milwaukee
and the others, if any, constituting
the combine, have eliminated this fea-
ture of competition for the purpose of
advancing the profits of the manu-
facturer at the cost of the purchasers,
who are the farmers. They refuse to
sell the goods to the local dealers for
cash, but instead will let them have
machines only as agents, the manu-
facturers holding the title while in the
agents hands, and asserting the right
to fix the price at which they may be
sold. Competition among the manu-
facturers has brought the price below
what they wish, though 60 per cent of
the present price is profit to the COM
bine. 1t is but few years since the
price of harvesters was more than
double the present price. The ad-
vance in the cost of the implement
will cut but little figure with the To-
cal dealer, because in the end this
will come ont of the consumer, who is
the farmer. The farmer is to be the
slave, the combine to be the master,
the local agent to be the instrument
to execute the purpose of the COM
| bine.
The International CONT ine seeks to
use the local dealers in their several
localities, be cause of the acquaint-
ance they have with the public, and
the confidence it places in them. to
advance the interests Of the combine
in the sale and distribution of imple-
ments at such advance as the combine
may see lit to name.
To this end it has prepared what it
terms a "Commission Agency con-
tract, " which is really contract of
peonage to every person who subscrib-
es to its humiliating conditions. More
than two thousand implement dealers
in Iowa refuse to become instruments
to perpetrate upon the farmers the
purposes of the combine. This gigan-
com bine and trust. with unlimited
capital at its command refuses to sell
it's implements to the local dealers for
cash because their title and owership
of the goods would interfere with the
future plans of the combine.
In the first paragraph of the agency
contract the combine requires the
agents to receive the goods and to pay
the freight, to keep them well housed
and In good condition a1d to pay all
taxes and insurance, though the agent
is denied the privilege of owning the
goods The next paragraph requires
the agent to thoroughly canvass the
territory in the interest Of the COM
bine, the third paragraph requires
him to set up and start the machine
and to instruct the purchaser how to
adjust and operate it, and also to pay
all livery bills connected Herewith.
Another peculiar feature eff this
penal bond and contract is that all Or
ders taken for implements, all notes
taken and all money received for them
are absolutely and unqualitiedly the
property of the combine, and are to be
transmitted to, or to be delivered up
Immediately or on demand, and by
virtue Of paragraph 81 the Interna-
tional Combine may demand and take
possession of all notes, orders, moneys
and implements Of every kind; cancel
and terminate the contract without
notice and without paying the agent
his commission, and even without
paying him the money he has advanc-
for taxes, insurance and freight, and
the agent having waived his right Of
action is without remedy for the
wrong done by the combine in appro-
prlating to itself the fruits of his la
Dor without giving anything in return
therefor.
Shylock is hated and detested for
LID UOuu <luS IT'LL LID pUuuu VI utou
taken from nearest the heart, but the
combine, more avariciouS and cruel
than the hated Jew, exacts the entire
body, with its intellect, its brain and
| its Drawn.
Paragraph requires that all at
tachments and repairs be ordered
from the member of the combine for
which he is agent ard he is prohibited
from handling the goods of any other
member of the combine or from any
other house under the following penal
ties; 1926 for each grain binder, corn
harvester or header; $50 for each husk-
er and shredder; $40 for each mower or
reaper; IS for each hay rake aud 81 for
each sickle grinder.
Paragraph Ii provides that ii any
notes are taken by the agent which
are doubtful or slow the combine may
at time of settlement turn over such
paper to the agent in payment Of the
money he has advanced for freight,
taxes and insurance and his commits
sion and If, after allowing for all
these. there is an excess, the combine
can demand cash for such excess and
unless paid can prosecute the agent
for embezzlement. This practically