The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-09-02

1t has a perfect right to form an asso- citation of feeling and fellowship and good will among themselves to advance their common good by the elimination of abuses, methods and practices inimical to the conduct of business upon legti- mate lines; to establish harmonious re- lations between manufacturers, jobbers and retailers, to the end that the jobber may be recognized as the best channel through which the manufacturer may sell and distribute his products to the re taller.
 Defendants are advised and aver that in the exercise of their unquestioned right they have represented to the manu- lecturers that it was to their mutual in- terest that the manufacturers should utilize the jobber as the medium of dis tribution to retailer and consumer, but defendants deny that they or any of them have attempted in any way to coerce any manufacturer not to sell to the retailers or consumers direct If he should feel that it was to his interest to do so. In this connection the defendants admit that the association has from time to time issued a carefully compiled list of all individuals, firms and corporations engaged in the wholesale grocery busi- ness in the southern states named in the bill of complaint, which compilation has been generally called the Green Book" due to the fact that the original covering of the said book was green.
 "The association in making this list did not confine itself to it's own member ship, but included therein all wholesale grocers so far as they were able to ascertain them in the states named. whether members of the association or not, and whether they were in sympathy tbo o1, nd oir of ha citation or not
 The answering petition goes into 19 pages and sets out comprehensive and compete denial to every one of the many allegations of the government embodied in the dissolution petition. The grocers deny that any effort has ever been made to force or influence any manufacturer to sell only to those who were represent ed by the Southern Wholesale Grocers association, or that any agent or officer of the company ever attempted any such action.
 The action carries exhibits numbering about ten. which are of the bylaws, constitution and other documents of the association in support of the answers contained in the petition.
 Amendments Next i'm Order
 The answer>after being filed here will Dt ucHNeItu tO lnt COullSel III lut ut- partment of justice. After it has been read by them it is probable that amend ments will be requested and allowed to the government petition. After this it Is probable that the grocers will request amendments and finally the court will appoint special masters to take the tes- timeny. It Is believed that three spe- cial masters will be required to take the evidence in the case, and tt at 10 months or one year will be consumed in the case.
 The answer filed in the United States court is the second chapter of the gov ernment petition to have tho association declared illegal. After a long conference with the department of justice officials Tn Washington, J. H. Mor tgomery re- turned here two months ago and filed the petition. It is alleged by the gov ernment that the association is an illegal one, operated in restraint of trade, and is combination in violation of the Sher- man law
 F It is the first attempt the government has made in the south to break up all legged trusts and for that reason, If no other has attracted a great deal of in terest MT. Montgomery would not dis cuss the answer yesterday.