Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-08-12
Counsel for Harvester
Company Comes
Back Hard.
MOST PART IS UNTRUE
Held Corporation Maintains No
Monopoly and Receives No
Rebates.

Washington, Aug. 12.-Edgar Ban
croft, counsel for the international
Harvester company, filed today with
the house steel trust" investigating
committee an answer to the charges
made by Burdette Townsend, a special
agent Of the department of justice in
1908.
Nearly every important statement
of fact relating to the surprise to the
investigation committee" the reply
asserts, lis either grossly inaccurate
or entirely untrue. The general in
accuracy of the report is shown by its
misstatement even of the names of
the president and chairman of the
board of the International Harvester
company, and Of the names OF the vot-
ing trustees.
NO PATENTS WHATEVER.
The fundamental charge of a com
bination to create a monopoly is based
by the report on a charge that the
knotter in the self-binder is protected
by patents and that the International
owns the patents on all the best types
of knotters. The truth is, there are
no patents whatever on the essential
part Of any type of knotter, and there
has not been any such patent in force
since 1896. when the Appleby patent
expired. Neither are there any ex-
listing patents upon any essential part
of the grain-binding machine.
ALL EXPIRED IN 1890.
The many basic patents had all ex-
pired in 1896, and there have been no
substantial patented improvements
since 1890-2O years ago, while the
life Of a patent, as is well known, is
only II years"
The statement Of the Townsend re-
port that OF nine different types Of
grain-binders purchased by the Inter
national, all but three had been aban-
doned. and that repairs are not fur
nished for any others, is branded by
Bancroft as "notoriously and absolute
ly false"
HAS VIGOROUS COMPETITION.
The reports charge of a binder
twine trust is without any foundation
whatever" declares the reply. which
also states the International has had
vigorous competition of one large and
six smaller manufacturers in addition
10 seven state penitentiary twine
mills In reply to the charge that
competition hss been largely sup
pressed" Bancroft cites the names of
eight firms which he declares are all
active competitors.
BUYS WHERE CAN DO BEST.
AS 10 the charge that the Interna-
tional receives rebates from railroads
and special concessions from the Unit
ed States Steel corporation. the reply
declares that the harvester Company's
relation TO the United States Steel
corporation is not different from its
relations with the competitors OF the
steel corporation" that during the
past seven years il has bought from
the steel corporation 10 per cent OF I
its total need, while II has purchased /
so per cent from the competitors of
the United States Steel. the balance I
OF its needs having been supplied by /.
the International subsidiary corpora /
iion, the Wisconsin Steel company"
PERENNIAL FALSEHOOD.
On the subject of foreign prices the I
International denies that perennial .
falsehood that agricultural implements I
are sold abroad cheaper than at home, ,
and declares that the governments 4
own investigation, published in the .
daily consular and trade reports of .
February. March and April. 1909.
shows that the prices for six-foOt
binders. which sold in America for
Sl25, are as follows: France, $17S.70; /
Germany. S203; Denmark. $167-50: 4
South Russia, $16SS5. Great Britain,
S1S5.16. and that the net prices re-
CeiNed by the American manufacturer