The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1912-10-31
DAKOTANS IN
Big LAWSUIT
PROPOSED ACTION AGAINST MIN
NEAPOLIs CHAMBER OF COM
MERGE is Experimentation
NEY ANNOUNCES THAT SUIT WILL
BE FILED SHORTLY.

Suit against the Minneapolis Cham.
Der of Commerce, alleging violation OF
the Sherman antitrust law, will be
filed soon by the Equity Cooperative
Exchange of the northwest, of which
j. M. Anderson of Fargo, formerly a
well known university orator and de-
batter and member of the Tenth legis-
lative assembly from the Sixth district,
Is the head. The case mas been put in
the hands of James A. Manahan, at
torney, and republican candidate for
congressman-at-large from Minnesota.
Mr.. Manahan will file the suit as soon
as he has prepared the evidence, the
majority of which, he declares, is at
hand.
The proposed action is an outgrowth
of the alleged boycott by the Mime
apolis Chamber of Commerce on grain
sold by members of the equity ex-
change. Members of the exchange say
the Chamber of Commerce has prohibit
ed members of the equity exchange
from handling grain arriving at Min
neapolis consigned to nonmembers OF
the Chamber of Commerce. The alleged
attitude of the chamber is said to nave
compelled the farmer members of the
exchange to sell to the chamber or
suffer inconvenience in disposing of
grain. .......
A1Iese Membership Was Refused.
The charge. also is made that nom
members handling equity exchange
grain, upon applying for membership
in the Chamber of Commerce, have
been refused admittance. In this way,
the suit against the Minneapolis Trad
ing association will declare, Mr.. Man
ahan says, the Chamber of Commerce
has sought to confine the trading of
equity exchange grain solely within
the chamber, freezing" out nonmem-
bers from trading.
The suit to be filed against the Min
neapolis by the equity exchange, con-
templates in addition to charging vio-
lation of the Sherman law, violation
as well of the state antitrust statute.
Mr.. Manahan declares the case is clear
ly a violation of both the state and ma
tional acts. Louis D. Brandeis, the Bos-
In this belief also, when he addressed
q meeting of equity exchange directors
Friday in Minneapolis.
Charge Attempt to StIfIe Trade.
The decision of the equity exchange
to put the case in Mr.. nah hands
was reached Friday when the board
met at Minneapolis. 1t was reported at
the board meeting, it is said, that mem
bers of the Minneapolis Chamber of
Commerce openly had been solicited to
stop handling grain from members of
the equity exchange. This report is
said to have been responsible for the
determination to. file suit.
George S. LOTUS, a Minneapolis grain
mdTls VINO ACTS DIS minneapolis repre-
sentative for the equity exchange, de-
MES the proposed suit Is a war on the
Chamber of Commerce. He declare
the suit alone is on behalf of he
equity exchange, being brought to per-
nit free trading belonging to the or
ganization.
Has Membership Of 4I.OOO.
The equity exchange mas a member
ship of $1,000 in the states OF Wiscon-
sin, Minnesota, North and South Da-
kota. 1t is a branch Of the American
Society of Equity, a national rme
association. The equity exchange con-
trolls many cooperative elevators and
the farmers, who are members, as d
rule ship their grain by thu carload
when the cooperative elevators do not
transact the business for them.
Chamber VIII Fight Suit.
f. B. Wells, president of the Min
neapolis Chamber of Commerce, declar-
ed the chamber will fight the suit of
the equity exchange. He asserts the
exchange has no basis for the proposed
action and denies any attempt to
freeze" out the organization.
The Chamber of Commerce has adj
vised it's members to refuse dealings
with nonmembers where it is thought
Misrepresentation may have been made
by the nonmember in obtaining the
consignment. The Chamber Of Com
merce members stand. ready at any
time to receive grain from any legiti-
mate source. There is no basis for any
of the other charges the equity ex-
change Is said to be preparing"