Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-03-02
MIGHT MAKE TROUBLE
Manufacturers and Jobbers Fear
Effect of the Bill Aimed at
Standard Oil
FEAR EFFECT ON BUSINESS
Belief Expressed That tho Provisions
of the Measure as Now Framed,
Would Apply to Ordinary Price Re-
auctions and Prevent Competition
In All Lines.
[By Ora Williams.l

| OIL IHe members OIL tHe legislature are
receiving letters of similar import from
| all sections of the state in relation to
| looking to curbing the power of the
Standard Oil monopoly in crushing
out Independents. These bills follow
the suggestions made by the governor
| in his message wherein he called at
tention to the practice Of covering the
] price of the commodity in a particular
locality sufficiently to destroy a COM
petitor who has established rival
| business in that locality He reiter-
ated his we'll known position that
competition Is vital to the welfare Of
commerce and industry and that 1t is
the duty of government to use all the
power 1t can command to preserve its
| full force and vigor. The bills pres
pared, and which are aimed solely at
the business destroying methods of
| the Standard Oil monopoly, forbid, in
| as explicit terms as it is possible so
to do, all unfair competition, or more
specifically the cutting of prices "for
the purpose of destroying the business
| of competitor
Now, while this is aimed solely at
the Standard Oil plan of doing bust
ness, which has become almost ma
tional scandal, influences have been
brought to bear upon the manufacture
ers and jobbers of the state SO that
they are in arms against the bill on
the theory that it is aimed at them
and that in operation it would destroy
their business They point out that it
might have the effect of forbidding all
the ordinary price reductions and re-
batting by which dealers get business.
Thereat some Of them are in great
alarm.
o. o. Tolerton of Sioux City, ar
extensive dealer, has written to MEM
bers protesting against the bill and de-
nouncing it as highly dangerous. job
bers in Dubuque, Ottumwa and else
where have done the same thing. The
letters are all much alike. They pro-
coed upon the theory that the bill for
bids all competition or lowering of
prices at one place or another, and that
under the law fiat rate would have
to be made in every part of the state
and under all circumstances This is,
so foreign to the bill that the sus-
picion is raised that the motive back
of most Of the cutlery against the bill,
is of common origin, ard that some of
those who are much scared about the
bill have been deceived purposely by
interested persons. There will prob
ably be some hearings on the bills
soon after the recess, and these will
bring out some interesting facts as TO
the attitude and operations of the
Standard Oil monopoly.
Some of the republicans of the house
are ready for some definite action in
the matter Of the persistent absence
of Representative Whtmer, nominally
representing O'Brien county in the leg
isiature. They have been unable to
secure any statement from Whitmers
friends, the nearest they came to it
being a statement made by stand
patter that Whitmer was kept at his
home in Sioux City by reason Of BUSH
ness 1t is stated that at the opening
of the session Whitmer came here ex-
pecting to remain only a short time,
and that his business partner in de
partment store in Sioux City went
away on the theory that Whitmer
would be back soon. In fact, Whitmer
had such slight notion that he would
be given a seat that he made no ar
about coming here to stay
for the session. Soon after he was
seated he went away and friend had
the records show he was excused. But
excuses cannot be granted except for
limited time. It was planned that
Whitmer would return whenever he
was sent for to act on the primary bill,
but that is out Of the way and it is in
timated he does not feel under obi
cation to return at all. But for the
Whitmer direct, but with others, by
which Whitmer was to be seated if the
democrats should succeed in killing off |
he primary bill, Whitmer would not |
nave been thus emba rrassed. Now that |
events have practically confirmed the
'umors Of the disreputaTble deal, some |
If the house members want an invests |
cation.
A good deal of interest is being taken
n the bills to forbid playing baseball |
IN Sunday. Many members are OPP
posed to such law on the ground that
t would be of no real benefit in secur-
ng a better observance of the Sab
oath.
Among those who remain in the city
Turing the recess are Representa- tives
King, Spaulding, jacobson and De Mar
md Senator Hughes.
AS previously predicted, the Gill;
and resolution has been permitted to
lie on the desk of the speaker of the
louse untouched, and will be lying
here when the house meets after the
ecess. The house members speak of
as they might of pestilential germ.
They would be willing that it should
lie there indefinitely. Nobody has
made a move toward bringing it up
n the house There was expectation
hat the three days of work this week
would find the house with small at
and at first this was being
made the excuse for not taking it up
sut on at least two days there was a
arge attendance yet no move was
made Colonel Temple, in charge of
he resolution on behalf of the Blythe
orces. is reluctant to act. The anti
Blythe men say the resolution is the
hild of the lobby and thew can do what