The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1907-08-18
HARVEST
TRUST NOW
BoNAPARTE TO BEGIN SUIT TO
BREAK THE COMBINE.
An Investigation by Department Of
Justice Followed Charges Brought
BY Senator Hansbroush Of
North Dakota.

Washington. Aug. 17.--It is now the
harvester trust which is to be placed
upon the legal grill by the depart.
ment OF justice. The fact VA made
public today that Attorney Gcnera
Bonaparte, after months Of consider.
alton, has arrived at the conclusion
that the international Harvester COM
pany belongs to the class Ut bad"
trusts, that II is a combination In re.
straint OF trade and that 1t is the
duty of the government to institute
proceedings for its dissolution with.
out delay.
1t is probable that the governments
bill will include petition for the
appointment OF a receiver IN case
the allegations as to violation of the
antitrust law are sustained
The decision of the attorney gener.
al is a direct result of the practical.
ly dual investigation conducted by
agents of the department Of Justice
and by Commits sioner Herbert Knox
Smith of the bureau of interpretations
II has been established to the salts
faction of the authorities that the
International Harvester COMPANY con
trolls more than per cent of the out.
put of agricultural implements and
harvester machines. that It contains
all the elements of a monopoly-pat.
ent rights. trademarks ownership #
plants and acquisition of lants which
are or may develop into competitors.
The company has been in exist.
once only five years. It was formed
by the consolidation of the McCor-
mick Harvesting Machine company.
the Deering Harvester company, the
Plano Manufacturing company and
the Wardner. Bushnell 4 Glessner
company. At the time the consolida-
tion occurred the company issued the
following statement:
The company is capitalized upon an
exceptionally conservative basis. or
its assets so million dollars Is In
cash working capital. The company
will require no financing and there
will be no offer of its stock to the
public, all the cash required having
been provided by its stockholders.
The company has five fully equip
ped manufacturing plants in the Uni.
ted States. the largest and most com
plete of their kind In the world, and
one plant now in process of construc.
tion In Canada. Through its ware
houses in various parts of the coun.
try it will be able to make most
economical distribution OF its manu-.
factured products. II also owns tim.
ber lands, coal. ore, blast furnaces
and steel properties. by means OF
which II should be able to accomplish
important economies In the cost of
raw material.
Charges We're originally made
against the Harvester comrany by
Senator Hansbrough OF North Dakota,
who made an investigation In the
farming regions of the northwest last
summer as to the practices of the
combination. Senator Hansbrough in
duced the senate to adopt a re solu-
tion directing governmental in.
quiry.
There is reason to believe that the
evidence gathered by two govern.
mental departments sustained Sena.
tor Hansbrough In the Judgment OF
the authorities. All this evidence
will be turned over to an attorney
yet to be designated, who, in con
junction with the attorney general,
will prepare the governments bill.
Suit will be filed within the next few
months.
II Is said that the harvester com.
bine makes a practice of purchasing
new devices to suppress them. and
keeps in service old machines In or.
der to supply repair parts, which is
a profitable feature of the industry.
This Is denied by the company. which
insists that it keeps up to date and
Is only too glad to adopt a machine
which is in advance over anything in
use.