Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-05-15

to prices. These understandings Were
not always observed. but those who vio-
lated them were investigated" and
promise obtained from them that they
would abide by the understandings in the
future. he asserted.
Judge Dickinson wanted to know IL
Judge Gary appointed the chairman of
the meetings. To this Davis gave a neg-s
alive answer. but stated that the Pitts
burg meetings usually occurred right aft
er the Gary dinners. AT these dinners,
which represented some IS per cent OF
the steel industry of the country siml-
lar. although more general understand
ings We're reached. the government con
tends.
John-A. Topping. now chairman of the
Republic Iron & Steel Co. and William
T. Refs, testified briefly as to the organ
ization of the National Steel and Ameri-
can Sheet Steel Cos. two of the four
Reid Moore combinations. Both Witness
es We're formerly officials in constituent
concerns Of the companies and told Of
competitive conditions among them be-
fore they We're combined. Refs said fur
Their that the National Co. was a com
petitor TO a slight extent of the Fed
eral and Carnegie Steel Cos, both of
which went into the corporation.
Through Refs. the government scored
the point that although one of the Ma
tional Cos. constituents had the capae-
ity for making steel rails. it did not do
so after the consolidation.
New York May 14.--When the hear
ipgs in the government suit TO dissolve
the United States Steel Corporation
We're resumed. today, James T. Mac
Farland. a tin plate iobber of North
Philadelphia. was called to give evil
dence to support the contention of the
government that the American Tin
Plate Co. suppressed competition. Mac
Farland said he had been in the tin
plate business since 1879 and had ham
died many special private brands,
which independent companies nsanu-
featured for him.
He told of having been forced to as
sign his brands To the American Tin
Plate Co. in 1899, with stipulation
that he would not buy his tin plate
elsewhere. According to a letter from
the Tin Plate Co. to his firm, which
the witness identified. it was the
Trusts" purpose ito protect this COM
pany in the exclusive manufacture of
plate"
did YOU enter into a contract with
the American Tin Plate Co, under
which YOU agreed to assign your pri-
vate brands of tin plate to the COM
pany and under which IL was agreed
that If you bought from anyone else
you forfeited Your brands2n asked
Judge Dickinson of counsel for the
government.
Il did, replied the witness.
Later. he said, the American Tin
Plate CO. made an arrangement with
jobbers whereby the company offered
rebates on condition that the jobbers
purchase their tin plate entirely from
it, The rebate was from / 10 3 per
cent, he said and was subsequently
based on 90 and then IS per cent of the
total amount the jobber bought.
Competitors of the Tin Plate Co.
were not willing TO make this dis
count" testified MacFarland and add
ed that the company was mot willing
TO manufacture brands for us in our
name without being protected by this
contract"
And if we forfeited our brands" he
continued I'VE lost our business rep
utation."
Howard M. Davis of Philadelphia,
formerly q sales manager of the Amer
lean Tin Plate Co, and previously
with the American Tin Plate Co. of
El!wood, Ind. D. ID. Reds first COM
rany. was the next witness He testi-
fed as an expert on conditions I'M the
tin plate industry at the time Mr.. Reid
and Judge William III. Moore brought
about the big consolidation under the
control of the American Tin Plate Co.
of New eJrsey.
what per cent. CO the Industry was
controlled by this combination Davis
was asked.
MY recollection is about IS per cent
Davis said he represented the Ameri-
can Tin Plate Co. and the American
Sheet Steel Co. at meetings of TIN plate
and sheet steel manufacturers in Pitts
burg In 1907 and LATER and gave an
interesting account of how the manu-
facturers came to understandings on
prices.
Davis said that James Campbell, pres
ident of the Youngstown Sheet & Tube
Co, was chairman of the meetings.
Davis ON cross-examination said that