The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1907-08-14
TO SELL
7RUsT.MADE GOODS
Texas Merchants in Danger OF a
Term in Jail if They Do.
OTHER RADICAL LAWS IN FORCE
Insurance Companies, Railroads, Bro.
kers, Gamblers and Pistol Deal
ers Are Affected by Them-At-
torney-General to Prosecute.

Austin, Texas.-Radical laws,
which are intended, among other
things, to drive trusts, bad men,
gamblers, and brokers out Of Texas,
have gone into effect. Some of these
laws p%rovide:.
That any person who acts as an
agent of a trust or combination to
destroy competition or any person
who sells goods made by such a
concern, shall be guilty OF a felony,
and shall be sent to prison for from
two to ten years.
That insurance companies must in
vest seventy-lve per cent. Of their
Texas earnings in the State.
That wire service shall not be CIV
en- to brokerage offices, bucket shops
and exchanges.
That no free passes or franks shall
be given.
That no liquor shall be drunk on
trains.
That all persons who sell pistols
shall be taxed fifty per cent. of the
gross earnings on all their business.
That cock-fghting shall be illegal.
That no negro shall hold the Office
Of School Trustee.
That traficking in human bodies
by medical colleges shall be lawful.
Most of the interest attaches to
The antitrust law, which Is n of a
berries Of measures passed by the last
Legislature. These bills were pre-
pared under the direction Of Attorney
General Davidson and his assistant,
J. P. Lightfoot. Before the enact
ment of these supplemental laws
Texas was said to have the most ef-
fective antitrust acts Of any State
In the Union.
The first Of these acts authorized
the Attorney General to make an
Examination Of all books, records, and
documents, wheresoever situated, Of
every corporation doing business in
Texas. The second authorized him
to take dispositions in any State in
a case brought against any corpora
ton for the violation of the anti
trust laws. The courts were iempow-
cred to compel corporations to pro-
duce any of their officers and en-
ployes and any of their books and
documents.
4 third act provides that the State
shall have a lien upon the property
of all corporations that are convicted
of violating the antitrust laws of the
State. The court may appoint a re-
ceiver for a corporation whenever
the interest of the State may seem
to require such action. The State
shall also have the right to issue
writs Of garnishment, sequestration,
attachment and Injunction.
These ~far-reaching bills were
passed in the closing days of the Leg
islature, and in the rush of work Of
that body they escaped general at
tention. 1t Is only recently that their
full import is being realized.
Now that the most extreme Of the
lot has gone into force, there Is
widespread apprehensionamong bust
less men as to its effect, because
any one of them who sells any goods
made by a trust Is liable to imprison-
ment. This law applied to all mer-
chants who sell such goods, and all
persons who may be directly in the
employ of such concerns in this State.
The Attorney Generals Depart
ment is preparing to inaugurate the
most vigorous campaign against
trusts that has ever been attempted
in any State. 1t is asserted that the
evidence, Is almost conclusive that
most of the commodities handled by
merchants are manufactured by
trusts. Merchants do not car to run
the risk Of a term of Imprisonment
for selling such goods, and many Of
them have already taken steps to
quit handling trust-made articles. The
law does not recognize ignorance as
an excuse. The merchant is required
to make investigation.
Mr.. Davidson feels certain that a
few successful prosecutions will
strike terror into the hearts of the
representatives of every trust do
ing business in Texas, and that it
will then be a comparatively easy
matter to drive the Objectionable
concerns out of the State. Chief
among these are the lumber trust, the
cotton seed oil trust, the beef trust,
and the Gil trust. 1t is understood
that Mr.. Davidson will soon file suits
against the lumber trust and the cot
ton seed oil trust, and will also start
criminal nroSecutiOnS.