The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-06-22
THE GOVERNMENT BRINGS SUIT
TO DISSOLVE THEIR AS
ISOLATION.
INVESTIGATION IN PROGRESS

Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, Louis
lana, Florida, Virginia and North
Carolina Are Represented Among
the Defendants. Effort to Boost
Prices of Necessaries Is Charged,
Including Coffee, Sugar, Cereals
and Soap.
WASHINGTON, d. C.-AnOther
action under the Sherman antitrust
law was started by the department
of Justice today when Oliver ID.
Street, United States attorney for the
Northern district of Alabama, was
instructed to file at Birmingham a
petition against the Southern Whole
sale Grocers' Association, it's officers
and members, alleging that the asso-
citation constitutes a combination and
conspiracy in restraint of trade and
asking it to be dissolved.
The suit, it was said at the de-
partment today, is one of the results
of the Investigations which the gov
eminent for some time past has been
making with reference to combina
tions that seek to eliminate competi-
ton, maintain a high scale of profit
and increase the cost of living. In
the opinion of the officials the inves-
tigation clearly indicated that an I'M
lawful conspiracy exists.
Mr.. Street was in conference for
several days with the department,
and left last night for Birmingham.
The issue will be pushed to a speedy
trial, the officials believing that they
have ample evidence to substantiate
the charges made
The Green Book"
The following statement regard
ing the matter was made at the de-
partment of Justice:
1.-THE petition alleges that the COM
bination was organized for the pur-
pose of, and has resulted in coerc-
ing and preventing manufacturers
from selling the actual necessaries
of life direct to the retail dealers or
consumer or to any wholesale grocer
in the southern states unless said
grocer is listed in a sO-called Green
Book published and distributed by
the association; that manufacturers
are persuaded, urged and coerced by
the association to fix limited selling
prices at which staple articles of food
are to be sold, and to refuse to sell
such commodities to any wholesale
grocer who does not maintain the
prices so fixed and listed that in GER
tain lines manufacturers and pro-
ducers have been induced to bill their
goods at an enhanced price, and to
turn over a percentage to the pres-
dent of the association who related
the same to the jobbers maintaining
such limited selling price; that no
hrm could become a member of the
association or be listed in the Green
Book unless a majority of the other
firms in the locality gave their ap-
proVal; and that unless such firm
was duly listed it was unable to Sc
cure direct buying privileges from
those manufacturers who observed
certain rules of practice adopted by
the association"
Charges 1t Boosts Prices.
There are many other allegations
set forth in the bill as to the gen
eral scheme and plan by which this
combination sought to prevent the
free flow of competition among the
members thereof and to restrict trade
and commerce.
The department for some time has
received complaints as to the bur-
dens suffered by the people of the
southern states because of the OBJ
erations of this association After a
careful investigation the department
believes that the association operates
to increase the cost of the necessa-
ries of life, such as coffee, sugar,
cereals, soap and many other lines.
The association as set out in the
governments petition or bill consists
of various firms and corporations en-
gagged in the wholesale grocery BUSH
ness within the states and territories
of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida,
Georgia, Indian Territory Louisiana,
Maryland, Mississippi, North Caroli-
ma, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Ten
nessee, Texas, Virginia and the Dis
trict of Columbia
Specifically, the action was brought
que uonB!oossB IBI9u9S 9ql lsuIBSg
all it's members