The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-05
Manufacturers -Protes t
Against Thorpe Bill as a
Measure Calculated to As
sist the Trusts in Killing
Minnesota Competition.

Senator Thorpe's trust buster" bill
is encountering anything but smooth
Salllng IN the senate judiciary COM
mlttee, and if the bill is not marked
Tor the indefinite postponement il viii
IN All probability, return to the senate
50 tnorouShly amended that its author
wiz nave difficulty in recognizing IL
The Thorpe measure is entitled AN
act TO protect trade and commerce
against unlawful restraints and
monopol1es, and to prohibit the giving
or receiving of rebates on the tran
sportation of property"
Inc manufacturing and shipping in
terests OF the state deny this title. and
clalm that, according to the provisions
OF the bill, just the opposite result will
be accomplished.
Manufacturers Protest.
The bill has received the considera-
ton of the senate judiciary commit
tee Tor several days, and since reach
ing this measure the committee in ex-
ecutiVe session has heard the protests
or the manufacturing and shipping in
terests of the different parts of the
state.
The Minneapolis interests. repre-
sented by Attorney Frank Kellogg. de-
manded the attention of the committee
tuesday afternoon, and ii is reDorted
that Mr.. Kellogg filed an emphatic oh
lection against a number of the sec
tons of the measure.
yesterday Attorney Dan w. Lawler
appeared before the committee for the
South st. Paul shipping and manufac-
turing interests Mr. Lawler was ac-
companled by M. d. Flower, president
of the South st. Paul Stock Yards as
sociation, and delegation of stock
men.
Mr.. Lawler protested against the bill
pelng recommended for passage I'm it's
present form, basing MS protest on tho
clalm that the Thorpe measure will
accomplish just the opposite of what
its author intended 1t should accom-
plish.
Assist Foreign Concerns.
Great stress was laid on the point
that the proposed law will do nothing
but handicap the manufacturing and
shipping interests of the state to the
advantage of the outside interests.
Mr.. Lawler pointed out that under
the proposed Thorpe act the Standard
OIL company and in fact all foreign
companies which are called trusts can
sell goods in Minnesota under the in
terstate commerce clause of the Unit
ed States without fear of the state law.
while the local companies must COM
ply with the provisions Of the state
law
Under these provisions. he pointed
out, their contracts are subject to in
spection, as they must be filed with
the attorney general. In this way the
business is all made public and the
trusts operating under the interstate
commerce clause can learn Of the fig
ures and undersell whenever they so
desire.
The provision that any state concern
selling any article or product at less
than its fair market value or at a less
price that 1t is accustomed to demand
or receive under like conditions, shall
be guilty of q misdemeanOr and liable
to heavy fine was also taken UP by
Mr.. LaWler, who claimed it was direct
ly aimed at competition.
Does Not Touch Trusts.
He pointed out that any one Of the
big trusts outside the state selling
goods in Minnesota cannot be affected
by this act, and went on to show that
If under the Thorpe law any local con-
Germ attempted to meet competition by
selling its goods in this state at less
than 1t sells them in other states, IL
forfeits Its right to do business, and its
officers become subject to imprison-
ment.
No man Of any responsibility, Mr..
Lawler claimed, would dare to become
the officer of any corporation in the
state because for a mere technical vio-
lation of any Of the drastic provisions
of the law he would become respon-
sible for all the debts and obligations
of the corporation.
NJ. d. Flower followed Mr.. Lawler,
and reiterated the claim that the law
would do nothing other than handicap
the state interests to the advantage Of
the outside interests.
The delegation before leaving deIlv-
cred TO the judiciary committee a set
of resolutions protesting against the
passage Of the bill adopted by the
South st. Paul Stock Yards associa-
tiOn.