The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1910-02-05
BILL THAT WILL
 HELP KILL TRUSTS Thomas l.. Hisgen Says He Has Hopes In nti-Dis-
 elimination Bill
Petroleum Marketers to
 Fight New Haven Road Next for Alleged Agree ment With Standard Oil.

Thomas L. Hisgen, president and one of the executive committee of the Independent Petroleum Marketers' as- sociation which met recently in Min neapolis, Minn., to arrange for suits against the Standard Oil Company has returned to his home in West Springfield. MT. Hisgen considers the result of the secret sessions indicative of success which later will be scored against the Standard Nil company. The committee went over evidence which has accumulated for months and ap- pointed committee to meet an advi- sory board of three attorneys immedi- ately. Action is expected in about three weeks
 The committee favored a fight to the end'' movement for the Hisgen an- ti-discrimination bill in every state where the bill is not now in effect. There are 15 states where the bill is law. c. D. Chamberlain of Cleveland, secretary of the National Petroleum association, has been secured to appear before the committee on judiciary of the Massachusetts Legislature which meets in Boston Wednesday for a hearing on the bill in this state for the fourth time.
 The next fight that the association will take up will be for equal freight rates, and against the discrimination which it is alleged is practised by the New York, New Haven & Hartford road. MT. Hisgen claims that in all places where the Standard is doing business over this company's road it gets cheaper rate than independent dealers
 The fight of the Hampden Traffic association against the rule which, if effective, would make necessary that all cars be unloaded in AS hours instead of in 96 was indorsed by the committee MT. Hisgen says if the AS hour law is made effective it will bring about hard ships for New England business men.
 Speaking of the bill which will come up next Wednesday MT. Hisgen said: ''The favorable attitude of Speaker Joseph Walker of the House toward this bill causes me to believe that there is every indication in the world that the bill will go through this year. and without a great deal of opposi- tion. Tn former years when the bill has been presented, the speaker and president of Senate have not taken kindly to it, which had much effect on it's career. The bill will protect the small dealer and consumer Speaking of the present meat situation, MT. Hisgen said: Such conditions could not exist if we had this bill passed, as the
 
 destroy the other. The small dealer would then be protected in his busi- ness and be encouraged"
 MT. Hisgen will assist the investiga- tion committee of Ohio in the meat probe of that state. .'The only effec- tive methods of bringing down the price of meat is honest competition. ' said MT. Hisgen. "Let the people fol- low the example of the United States government in it's refusal to buy from the Standard Oil company. Trusts fear competition above all things. "It furnishes the only weapon of defense. Let the people support in- dependent stockyards. packing houses and butchers. If the people would organize and refuse to patronize butchers who buy of trusts and do all their marketing with independents, the prices would come down. In Buffalo where we have independent stock yards, the trust is fighting us every inch of the way.
 '"This oppression need not be a na- tional issue. It can be beaten by the state Legislatures. What every state wants is an anti-discrimination bill By that mean a bill which prohibits cutting of prices in one part of the state to meet competition and at the same time raising prices elsewhere, where there is no competition. to make fup the loss suffered in the fight to sti- fle competition. The price of meat will not come down until we have that com- petition which the trusts are killing.
 '"The boycott, if it has no other eff feet, will impress upon the people the fact that they are being robbed and will do more than anything else to bring about a united fight to kill the trusts. .'-Springfield Union.