East Oregonian : E.O. (Pendleton, OR) 1888-current, 1907-01-09

An antitrust law DrOau III scOpe
and strong in its penalty provisions,
has been drafted by State Senator C..
j. Smith and will be introduced in
the legislature by the senior member
fro mthis county. AS now drafted the
bill closely follows the Kansas law,
upon the same subject, which measure
is held by lawyers to be the most
effective law now existing. The bill
as now prepared is in the hands of the
attorney general, who is to pass upon
the title and other features of the
measure Before being formally in
trodaced by Senator Smith, the bill
Will be gone over more or less by
other members of the legislature, and
it is possible changes will be made.
Senator Smith has taken up the
proposition of an antitrust measure
at the instance Of the wheatraiserS
association During the past few
seq sons the growers have been of the
belief that the rival grain companies
doing business over the northwest
have in reality been in league both
as to prices on wheat and grain bags.
The Smith bill is intended as a blow
at such a combination, should it eX-
isT but it applies with equal force to
stockhuying corporations and 10 all
other lines of business.
The following is the full title of
the bill
"An act to prohibit trusts and COM
binations of capital, skill or acts, by
two or more persons, firms, corpora
tiOns or associations of persons or
either two or more of them, for either
ary, or all of the following purposes:
The creating or carrying out of re-
strictions in trade or commerce, or
aids to commerce, or to carry out re-
strictions in the free pursuit of any
business, authorized or permitted by
the laws of the state. Or to increase
or reduce the price of merchandise,
pro luce, OF commodities, or to pre-
vent competition in the manufacture,
making, transportation, sale, or pur-
chase Cf merchandise, produce, COM
modities, or to prevent competition in
aids to commerce. To fix any stand
ard or figure whereby its price to the
public shall be in any manner con-
trolled or established. any article or
commodity of merch3ndise produce,
or commerce intended for sale, or use
or consumption iE this state. To make
or enter into. or execute or carry out,
any contract, obligation, or agreement
of any kind or description by which
they shall bind themselves not to sell.
manufacture, dispose of. or transport
any article or commodity, or articles
of trade, use, merchandise, commerce,
or consumption, such as food. or fuel.
below common standard figure: or
by which they shall agree in any
manner TO keep the price of such arti-
Gle. commodity or transportation at a
fixed or graded figure; or by which
they shall i'm any manner establish or
settle the plice of any article, COM
modify, or, transportation between
them or themselves and others, to
preclude free and unrestricted COM
petition among themselves or others
in transportation, sale or mGnufac-
ture of any such articles or comrlodi-
ty. by which they shall agree to pool
combine, or unite any interests they
may have in connection with the
manufacture, sale or transportation
OF such article or commodity. that its
price may in any manner he affected.
ITO provide for the means of car
rying this act into effect describing
the duties of the district attorneys
ana attorney general and providing
fpr penalties on failure to comply with
these duties and prescribing penalties