The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1910-11-11
'.lE FlR |g'g
price Goods.

~ Il. = y ii q =
TREMENDOUS FIGHT IKE ~ in
Il, oNGRESS ON 81 PREVENT
Ne FIX ED RETAIL
PRICES. Z &.
| Il "a bill that on Its ice. proposes to, at
tack the high cost of living from al
new angle Is to come up for action in
all probability. at the next session OF
Congress. While VII der iii its scope i
than the object 1t Is designed ,toseifect.
fit. Aims primarily at The nianufac turer
iof TODD products who sell them to re-
lfail dealers upon condition that they
| Shall not be. Tesold 10 The consumer
under definite arbitrarily fixed
lpriee. y y. =!
Duke G. Bowers isSthe man who is
Retail Grocers, the National Associa:
ltiop Of Wholesale Grocers 4 and the
American Speciality Manufacturers
Association. He Is the proprietor of
"a chain Of cut-price grocery stores In
Memphis, Tenn, and he seems to have
plenty, OF capital with which to con-
j, duct: publicity campaign throughout
the country. He freely admits that
The has Squeezed out" by manufactur-
!, ers OF food prodncts because he re-.
fuses to sell them at the price they fix
for the sale Of their goods throughout
1.-the country, and the point he makes Is
J That when he has bought at their own
tprices the commodities they manu-
Z facture. they should not, as individ-
; luals or corporations engaged In inter-
state trade, have the right to demand
that he make from them any amount
|, LOT profit greater than he sees fit. II
siEe. can make a reasonable profit at
!, selling tea at rs cents pound for ex-
i ample, he, declares. That Il Is an, injus-
!; ltice 10 him and, to the consumer to re-
fuse 'to; sell "a special brand to him un-
less he Is willing to charge. for 1t the
uniform priceTof 40 cents. d.
Between the grocer tied up, in asso-
citation agreements for his protection
IN q, special amount Of profit and the
l cpt.price dealer, who depends upon
quick and frequent sales at lower
+ prices for his profit, there is natural
Iva bitter warfare, and at this juno.
ture it seems to be the cut.price man
/. who gets the worst of It. But Mr..
Bowers, who is doubtless backed up
7 other cut.price dealers, refuses I'd give
.|tlp without fight. He Is flooding the
/. country with his literature, and has al.
. ready had introduced in the Senate.
by Senator Taylor, of Tennessee, and
, in the House Of Representatives by
d Congressman Grow, the following bill:
"A BILL
To prevent trusts or combinations
from controlling market value OF
, merchandise,ip produce or commodi.
ties:a \! ~ IlSitii. /; ~ JtI5
vi Belt enacted p by the Senate and
House of Representatives: of the Uni.
6 lied, States Of America in Congress as
!. Isembled, That from and after the pas.
s:.'sage OF this act II shall be unlawful
{ for any individual, firm company, cor.
Z poration or association to enter into
I continue or maintain any combination,
agreement. or arrangement of any kind,
4 expressed or implied, or to commit
s Gny other act In restraint of. trade or
commerce among the several states
Il Or with foreign nations, or with any
g other individual, firm. company. asso
{. ciation or corporation which does OF
+ tends, directly or indirectly. to fix al
e any standard or hgure whereby It's
J. price shall be in any manner con
trolled or established, any article Of
IS merchandise, produce, commodity OF
1t commerce entering into such inter
i, state trade or commerce. or to make
!. or enter into or. execute or carry ou
s. any contract, obligation or agreement
e Of any kind or description by which
e they shall bind or have bound them
s selves not to sell, dispose OF or trans
mort any article or commodity or ar
N Iticle Of trade, use, merchandise, com
Or merce or consumption below com
V. mon standard figure in such inter
" state trade or commerce, or by whicl
10 they shall agree In any manner t
keep the price OF such article at
re fixed or graduated figure or by whicI
+. they shall In any manner establis
as OF settle the price OF any article o
ne commodity: or transportation betwee
e. them or themselves and others to pre-
as clude free and unrestricted compt
OF tition among themselves or others i
lv the sale or transportation OF any sue
TX. larticle or commodity IN such inte
rs state trade or commerce. or by whic
lis they shall agree to pool combine c
re- mite any interest they may have
connection with the sale or transpo
ly, ation OF any such article or commo,
OF ity in such interstate trade or con
merce that its price might in All
M manner be affected.
ut, Section 2. That each and every pc
es- son, company or corporation. their O
nj ticers, agents, representatives or CO
signees, who, either directly or ind
re rectly, violate any OF the provision
m. Of this act shall be deemed guilty
q misdeineanor and on convictic
to thereof shall be subject to fine
zee not less than $1,000 nor mare the
lr. $4,000, or shall be imprisoned not G
ceeding one year, or both fine al
en Imprisonment. in the discretion of Il
up court: and any person so forced
he constrained or affected by Violate
Of this act shall have and recover
tly liquidated damages from the perst