The Cairo bulletin., 1907-08-27

filed suits against the Internationa
Harvester Company OF America. dc
manding penalties in the sum OF 81,
100000 from the defendant concer1
! for violating the antitrust law OF
Texas, The petition claims that the
concern has formed an unlawful com
bine, composed of seven companies
Flo restraint Of trade.
This suit viii be watched with IN
terest by the farmers the country
over who have been victims of this
mammoth trust II is one of the most
monstrons combines of all OF them
and thousands and hundreds of thou
sands OF American farmers are forced
to pay tribute to it annually 1t turns
out over one hundred million dollars
worth OF agricultural implements
year. AT least that is what they are
sold for. Their value, estimating the
same by the cost of production and
allowing for reasonable profit. is
another proposition
Not long ago writer In one of the
leading magazines exposed the meth
DDS and operations Of the harvester
trust. According to him the combine
is made up of half dozen or more
Of the largest concerns in the country
with plants located Iii different places
ami maintaining headquarters in Chi. !
cago. Its products are shipped from
that point 1t turns cut reapers for |
s57. These are sold TO agents at 500
and they are required TO charge the
1925 The same machines /
are sent to foreign countries with the |
cost of freight abroad and sold for
much less than the price charged at |
home. 1t can readily be seen how the /
Dingley tariff is fattening the haryes
Ter trust The American farmers are +
paying the cost: a few men CONTROL T
ng the harvester trust are reaping
he benefits. Ii there any reason
why the harvester trust should sci!
Is products to the farmers abroad.
liter paying foreign freight, for less
han the home farmer is required to
ray for the same2 None except that
he few shall get rich from the opera
ions IL our Ubiquitous tariff system
II the expense Of our many.
The harvester trust, according til
he. same writer, has long operated
system OF rebates from the railroads.
which In spirit, If not In letter, VIC
ates the laws For instance. sons
criminal lines OF railroad mile or
wo long were bought BY this con-
,ern. These terminals extend Is
heir shipping quarters. A railroad
hat gets the business must shift its
'ars over these lines to the ware
Houses. 1t costs about two dollars a
ar to do this, but the harvester trust
harges from nine to eleven dollars
The diffeences Of course. Is In the
Iature of Il fehate Is this not d
natter for the consideration of the
ederal authorities who profess to BE-
Ding after combines that violate the
nti-trust laws?
Nnetner or not the state OF Texas
ucceeds in its suit against the har-
ester trust and actually collects the
ne, II matters little to that monster
ombine. Should it be required to pay
he fine IL win be collected from the {
lrmers through an increase in the Y
rice OF the products. That is the his 5
Try of the trusts that have been re G
uired to pay fines; the beef trust, for Z
lstance. WHAT is needed is for the Z
overnment to put some OF the har '
ester trust officials III jail. That win {
0 more good than dozen or a q
undred fines. If they persist in vio- |
ting the law, is there any reason
ny they should be immune from a
aai punishment? I