The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-05-17
Investigation Shows That All
Their Methods Are Crooked
ATTORNEY GENERAL EXPLAINS
Government Has Filed Petition for
Injunction Against Combination
Composed of Proprietary Associa-
ton of America, National Whole
sale Druggists Association and Ma
tional Association Of Retail Drug
gists

Washington, Special.-The Attor-
rev General made public ;he following
statement:
1.-THE government has filed IN the
Circuit Cour. OF tile United States
fer the district Of Indiana a petition
for all injunction against certain as
sociations. corporations and indiv:-
d1als, comprising what Is commonly
known as the drug trust Of the United
States. The parties deft Lfant speclfi-
Gully named in the bill have volun-
tarily combined together to control
the prices al which proprietary medl-
clnes and drugs sail he sold to the
consumer through the retail druggists
in violation Of tue Sherman anti.
trust law.
'"rhe rarties 10 he combination in
clude The Proprietary AssC citation of
America, the National Wholesale
Druggists Association o. Retail Drug
cIstS.
"An injunction is prayed for pro-
hibiting these associations from act
ing IN concert for the purpose of
maintaining prices, and the lndlvl-
duals, firms and corporations who are
members of the respective assocla-
lions from acting together for the pur-
pose of maintaining uniform prices
to the consumer throughout the Unit
ed States.
"The bill charges, i'll substance,
that these associations, their officers,
delegates and members are all engag
ed i'll Il common undertaking to-wit:
the buslness of manufacturing, buy
ing and selling patent medicines and
drugs and proprietary articles
throughout the United States; that
these associations and the members
thereof have entered into Il conspir
acy to arbitrarily fix and regulate the
price at which such articles shall be
sold to the consumer, and that they
have established rules and regulations
to enforce such an unlawful agree
ment by restricting the purchase and
sale of such commodities to those
members of the several associations
who shall live up to and observe TIE
rules and regulations thus arbitrarily
prescribed by the respective associa'
lions.
Conspiracy's Purpose.
''There is but one ultimate object
of the conspiracy, viz: to fix the price
which shall be observed by all re-
tail druggists in selling to the con-
sumner the various commodities manu-
facutred by the several members Of
the proprietary association. The
plan by which such object IS effected
is, in brief, as follows: No retail
druggist can obtain goods from a
wholesale druggist or a manufacturer
Of proprietary medicine unless such
retail druggist becomes member of
the National Association Of Retail
Druggists, and in order to become
Sucn member he must agree to OBJ
serve the established price at which
such proprietary medicines shall be
sold to the consumer.
IF such retail druggist, after be-
coming a member of the National As
ISOLATION of Retail Druggists. cuts
prices In the sale of such articles
to the consumer, he is Immediately
placed upon the list of what is known
as aggressive cutters, and thereafter
such retail druggist is unable to OBJ
tam from any manufacturer who is
a member of the Proprietary Associa-
ton, or from any other wholesale
druggist who is a member of the
Druggists Association, any
OF the commodities which may be-
and sold by them or
any Of them.