Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-08-16
AFTER THE TRUSTS.
Government Will Soon Take Up Case
 Against Harvester Co.

Washington, Aug 16.-One of tie most important proceedings to be in stituted by the government in its cam paign against obnoxious trusts will be that against the International Harves- ter company. The papers in the case are now being prepared and the ac- tion probably will be begun within Il few weeks.
 For many months, the department of justice has been pursuing an lnyesti- gation into the operations of the Harvester company, in response to complaints which had reached not only the department, but the president him- self. In conjunction with the depart ment of justice the bureau of corpora. tions also has been working and i'm mense amounts of evidence have been accumulated. Precisely the nature of the facts which have been disclosed to the governments investigators is not known, but general assurance Is given quietly that the government has in it's possession bales of evidence of viola ton of the law by the great concern.
 The action will be brought under the sherman antitrust act and will be instituted to bring about dissolution of the so-called trust and, if possible, to punish it for the alleged violations of the law.
 No corporation in the United States, with the possible exception of the Standard Oil company, touches the great mass of American people so closely as the International Harvester Co. In its operations it controls substantially all of the plants in America manufacturing farm machin- cry. particularly reapers and mowers and threshers. It fixes absolutely the prices at which this machinery is to be sold to the farmers mot only oi this country, but of other countries, and 1t sees to 1t that those prices are not varied from by the various con cerns which handle the products Of the company's various factories. In addition, the country Is divided into sections which are allotted to the sub sidiary corporations of the parent com- pany and on the territory of one corl- pany another is not permitted to in- fringe.
 The prices which are maintained are held to be out of all proportion to the value of the machinery. but hereto fore there apparently has been no help for the farmer or planter, because the machinery is an absolute necessity to him and he Is obliged to pay any price for the products that the company sees fit to demand. That the opera tions of the company constitute a conspiracy in restraint or trade there is no doubt in the minds of the Ofiie- ials who have investigated them. The whole matter. in concrete form, has been considered by Attorney General BOnaparte and he has seeded to in- stitute a proceeding against the con cern that will cause 1t to sit I'D and take notice
 It IS not unlikely that the suit of the government will be brought in the United States court at Chicago. the headquarters of the In-er-Nationai Harvester Co. hut that detail yet has not been determined def7nifely.
 Ofhcials of the company have been endeavOring to stave of drastic action by the government and their enor- nous wealth and influence have en- abled them thus far to prevent the institution of q suit: hut the govern ment is SO thoroughly convinced of the irregularities of the company that q final decision has been reached Co bring 1t into court