Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1912-05-02

sections of the country the Interna-
tional Harvester company has COM
plete monopoly of harvesting machin-
cry.
Considering agricultural imple-
ments Of every kind, other than har-
vesting lines, the petition declares
that the output of the alleged trust
amounts to over 80 per cent of the
whole.
Eliminated Competition
The government contends that the
corporation has eliminated competi-
tion by securing control of great
majority of the retail implement deal
ers in the United States who are
made their exclusive sales agents.
The petition says:
s'The opportunities for any new,
competitors are constantly being
closed by the defendants in all lines
of agricultural implements, the agen-
cies for distribution, the retail imple-
ment dealers and others are rapidly
coming under their undisputed con-
troll and unless prevented and re-
strained, their complete, unchallenged
domination of every branch Of trade
and commerce in agricultural imple-
ments of all kinds may be confidently
expected at an early date.''
The government charges. that the
defendants have absorbed competing
companies, but concealed their own
ership, permitting them to be adver-
tised "as wholly independent and
without connection with the trust" or
any combination intending thereby
to mislead, deceive and defraud the
public and more effectually cripple
the existing competitors and keep out
new ones.
Charges Unfair Methods
The bill contains these charges:
Defendants have resorted to un-
fair trade methods; have made mac
curate and misleading statements con-
cerning rival machines or concerning
the credit of competitors; have, by
lnisreprese entations, sought to induce
competitors, agents and dealers to
abandon, and in divers unfair ways
have endeavored to destroy them, and
for -stlfe purpose Of destruct ire4c compe-
tition have reduced prices on some
machines in some localities. below
cost of production and distribution,
while raising them in other localities.
Defendants have Systematically
bought up patents upon harvesting
machinery, tools and implements, and
acquired all new inventions therein,
in order thereby more effectually to
perpetuate the combination and mo-
ropoly."
Named as Defendants
The following corporations and in
dividuals are mentioned as defend
ants in the petition
International Harvester company,
International Harvester Company OF
America, International Twine com.
pany, Wisconsin Steel company, the
Wisconsin Lumber company, Illinois
Northern Railway company, the Chi
cago, West Pullman & Southern Rail
road company, Cyrus H. Mccormick,
Charles Deering, James Deering, John
u. Glessner, William H. Jones, Harold
Il. Mccormick, Richard F. Howe, Ed.
gar A. Bancroft, George F. Baker,
William j.. Louderback, Norman B.
Ream, Charles Steele, John A. Chap
man, Elbert H. Gary, Thomas D.
Jones, John P. Wilson, William J..
Saunders, George w. Perkins.
Big Cost to the Farmers
s<In many states" the petition de
clares, s'the farmers expenditures for
harvesting machinery and twine ag-
gregate considerably more than DO
per cent of the total expense incurred
by them in purchasing agricultural
machinery and implements Of all
kinds"
The International Harvester COM
pany was organized in New Jersey in
1902. Prior to that time, the govern
ment declares, there were ten or
twelve establishments for the manu-
facture and sale Of harvesting imple-
|ments in active competition with each
other. The alleged trust was form
ed through the combination of the Nc
Cormick Harvester company of Illi-
nois, the Deering company Of Illinois,
the Plano Manufacturing company Of
Illinois, Warder, Bushnell & Glessner
cOmnanv nf Ohin and tho Mi1waJ1koc