Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1912-05-02
U. s. SUES
HARVESTER TRUST
CHARGES ILLEGAL TRUST WITH
INTENTION TO MoNoPoLIzE
MAKING or FARM MACHINERY.
SUIT FOR DISSOLUTION FIELD At
ST. PAUL INCLUDES SERIOUS
CHARGES

CHARGES
ST. Paul, MINI, April 3O-Suit
against the International Harvester
company, charging it with being mo-
nopoly in restraint of trade and ask
ing that it be dissolved, was filed by
the government in the United States
district court here today.
A petition in equity naming seven
corporations and eighteen individuals
as being the responsible heads of the
140,000,000 Harvester corporation,
sets forth the charges that the de-
fendant controls majority of the
trade in harvesting machinery in the
United States ''to the grave injury of
the farmer and the general public"
It asks that a receiver be appointed
to take charge of the corporations
business, if the court sees fit
The petition was filed by Assistant
District Attorney j. Mark Dickey. Mr..
Dickey appeared in the absence of
District Attorney Charles S. Houpt,
who has been in Washington confer
ring with the department. of justice
concerning the suit.
Appearance May
Another petition was filed asking
Judge Charles A. Willard to order the
issuance of subpoenas for all defend
ants not residing in this district, the
subpoenas to be returnable May 6
when the corporations and individuals
are to enter their appearances. TIE
defendants, Mr.. Dickey announced,
would have until June to enter their
pleadings. Mr.. Dickey also stated
the trials probably would be set for
the October term of court
All Orders Signed
Judge Willard signed all the orders
asked by the government. Subpoenas
returnable on May 6, were ordered is
sued for Cyrus H. Mccormick, Harold
F. Mccormick, Charles Deering, Jas.
Deering, George w. Perkins, Norman
II. Gary and for all other individuals
and corporations named in the petit
tion not residents of this district.
To accomplish the disintegration of
the so-called trust, the government
asks the court to issue injunctions to
bar from interstate commerce the pro-
ducts of the International Harvester
company or the International Harves-
ter Company of America, it's selling
agency. The appointment of receiv-
ers to take charge of the property and
wind up the business, ''if the court
should be of the opinion that the pub
lie interest will be better served
thereby is suggested.
Five Years Of Inquiry
The filing of the suit comes as a
climax of the five years of investiga-
ton by the goernment. Lately the
case has figured prominently in po-
litical discussion between President
Taft and Col. Roosevelt, regarding
certain instructions which Mr.. Roose-
welt, while president in 1907, gave to
his attorney general, Charles ]. Bon
aparte, concerning the prosecution of
the concern. That feature Of the
case was recently before the U. S..
Senate.
In brief. the government charges
the Harvester company with being a
combination in restraint Of trade mo-
nopolizing or attempting to ,nonopo-
lie the manufacture and sale Of har-
vesting machinery It is alleged
that the company has advanced the
prices of these articles to the grave
injury of the farmer and the general
public, and is extending it's business
to all lines of agricultural implements
with the purpose of monopolistic con-
troll"
Controls 90 Percent
The government alleges that the
international Harvester company con-
trolls at least 80 per cent Of the trade
in the United States in harvesters or
grain binders, rs per cent Of the now
ers and more than so per cent Of the
binder twine. There are only three
or four manufacturers Of harvesting
machinery in the United States other
than. the international Harvester
company, the petition says. These, It
is added, are comparatively small and
as their business does not embrace
the entire United States, in many