Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-05-02
Dissolution of $4,000, 1000
Combine Sought by Gov
eminent by Petition in the
Federal Court at St. Paul.
VIRTUAL MONOPOLY
OF BUSINESS ALLEGED
Company Controls at Least
90 Per Cent of Trade in
U. S., the Bill Asserts;
Receiver Suggested.

receiver suggested.
St. Paul, Mimi, April 3O.-Sui
against the International Harvester Co
charging it with being a monopoly il
restraint of trade and asking that il
be dissolved, was filed by the govern
ment in the United States district
court here today.
A petition in equity naming seven
corporations and eighteen individuals
as being the responsible head of the
$40 100000 Harvester corporation set
forth the charge that the defendants
controlled a majority Of the trade in
harvesting machinery in the United
States ''to the grave injury to the
farmer and the general public" It
asks that receiver be appointed to
take charge of the corporations bust
ness, if the court sees fit.
Another petition filed asks Judge
Chas. A. Willard to order the issuance
of subpoenas for all defendants not
residing in this district, the subpoenas
to be returnable May 6, when the cor
porations and individuals are to en-
ter their appearance. The defendants,
it was announced, will have until June
3 to enter their pleadings and the
trials probably will be set for the o.
tober term of court.
To accomplish the disintegration Of
the so-called trust the government
asks the court to issue injunctiOns to
bar from interstate commerce the
products of the International Harvest
er Co., or the International Harvester
Co. of America, it's selling agency. The
plan of receivers to take charge of
the property and wind up the business
eff the court should be of the opinion
that the public interests will be bet
ter served thereby" is suggested
The filing of the suit comes as the
climax of five years of investigation
by the government Lately the case
has figured prominently in political
discussion between President Taft and
Col. Roosevelt regarding certain in
structions which Mr.. Roosevelt while
president in 1907 gave to his attorney
general, Charles J. Bonaparte, con-
corning the prosecution of the con-
Germ. That feature Of the case was
recently before the senate.
In brief the government charges the
harvester company with being COM
bination in restraint Of trade, monopol-
izing or attempting to monopolize the
and sale Of harvesting
It is alleged that the COM
pany has advanced the prices of these
articles ITO the grave injury Of the
farmer and the general public" and is
extending it's business into all lines
Of agricultural implements with the
purpose of monopolistic CONTROL
The government alleges that the In
ternational Harvester Co. controls at
least 80 per cent of the trade in the
United States in harvesters or grain
binders, Is per cent of the mowers
and more than so per cent Of the
Under twine. There are only three or
four manufacturers of harvesting ma
chinery in the United States other
than the International Harvester Co.,
the petition says. These, it is added,
are comparatively small, and as their
business does not embrace the entire
United States. in many sections Of the
country the International Harvester
Co. has complete monopoly of har-
vesting machinery. Considering agri-
cultural implements of every kind,
ether than harvesting lines, the petit
ton declares that the output of the
alleged trust amounts to over 80 per
cent of the whole.
Control Of Selling Agencies.
The government contends that the
has eliminated competi-
ton by securing control of a great
majority Of the retail implement deal
ers in the United States who are
made their exclusive selling agents
The petition says:
1.-THE opportunities for any new COM
petitors are constantly being closed by
the defendants in all lines Of agricuE
Lural implements; the agencies for
the retail implement deal.
der their undisputed control, and I'M
less prevented and restrained, their
complete unchallenged dominion Of
every branch of trade and commerce
in agricultural implements of all kinds
may be confidently expected at an
early date"
The government charges that the
have absorbed competing
but concealed their owner
ship, permitting them to be advertis-
ed "as wholly independent and without
with them" the trust or
any combination" intending thereby
10 mislead, deceive and defraud the
public and more effectually cripple ex-
listing competition and keep out new
ones''
The bill contains these charges:
Defendants have resorted to unfair
trade methods; have made inaccurate
and misleading statements concerning
rival machines or concerning the
credit of competitors; have by mis-
sought to induce COM
petitors' agents and dealers to aban-
don them, and in divers unfair ways