Emmons County record., 1907-05-23
ssassbroseh asl tie Big Trust.

lrIOm Tue rafaO fOrum
kilograms from Washington having
announced yesterday that Attorney
General Bonaparte would institute
proceedings against the international
Harvester Company, as result OF the
investigation started last winter un-
der the terms OF resolution intro
duced by Senator Hansbrough, For.
um representative called upon the
| senator, who is guest at the Metro
| pole, for statement relative to the
matter.
The senator said that while engaged
In the campaign last fall he had
learned from farmers and others with
whom he talked Of the blighting ei
fects of the harvester.trust methods
and soon after the converting Of con-
gress last December he secured the
passage Of resolution directing a
thorough investigation OF the subject
1T is evident" continued the senator
revealed condition Of affairs that
made the beginning Of suits against
the trust imperative After congress
adjourned ! took the matter up with
the authorities, and before left
Washington last week ! was assured
that proceedings would be begun with.
ont delay.
Fully ten millions of farmers are
interested in the outcome, and I re.
gard this prosecution as being Of much
greater Importance than any Othe.
antitrust case Instituted by the gov
ernment. II involves "a legal principle
which has not as yet been definitely
fixed by the courts, for the reason that
the International Harvester trust
stands alone In it's peculiar relations
to the public, aid it's organization and
operation bear but small resemblance
to other mOnopolies in restraint OF
commerce.
trust in 1902, lively competition ex.
listed between the several harvester
companies. Since then, competition
has ceased, the prices OF harvesters
has been advanced from 25 to 40 per
cent, and the trust is boldly reaching
out and absorbing other lines of farm
machinery. such as threshers. plOws,
wagons. cultivatOrs and the like, In.
Guiding binding twine, 80 per cent 0l
which is now controlled by the trust
THE insidious feature OF this par.
ticular monopoly lies In the owner
ship by the trust. Of all the patent
rights enjoyed by the constituent com.
! panies prior to the trust organization
These patent rights, constituting a
complete monopoly in themselves, can
not be used by any one except tha
trust. Thus is competition annihilat.
ed and monopoly indefinitely perpet.
uated.
The International Harvester Com.
pany was organized under the New
Jersey law with capital OF $4,000,
900. This company does the manu-
featuring OF the machinery. Then
there is the International Harveste,
Company OF America. organized under
the Wisconsin law with capital ol
$l.OOO,0OO. This company does the
selling of the machinery. Both com.
panies are owned and controlled by
the same men. and the dual Organiza.
tion was manifestly intended to ac.
complish the evasion of the antitrust
law.
III is understood that the trust peO.
pie themselves are anxious for an ad-
judication Of the case SO that they
may know what their status Is. II
the government should lose its case.
then the trust would feel at liberty u
go en- and extend their monopoly over
the whole list OF farming implements.
as originally Intended II the trust Is
defeated 1t will undoubtedly be reor
ganized In way 80 as to admit OF the
purchase outright of every line Of
mannfactory suitable to its purpose.
Meantime, think congress will take
hand, II necessary. II the law ia
not now strong enough to accomplish
the overthrow OF the trust. II will bc
made strong enough"