The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-01
Government Files Suit
Charging Restraint
Of Trade.
CHARGES INJURY
TO THE FARMERS
Asks That Injunction Be Issued
to Bar From Interstate Com
merce the Products Of the
Harvester Company-Would
Have Receivers Appointed
to Wind Up Business.

St Paul, April 3O.-suit against the
International Harvester Company.
charging 1t with bcing a monopoly
in restraint of trade and asking that
II be dissolved. was filed by the gov
eminent in the United States District
Court here to-day.
In n petition III equity this $780,
100000 corporation popularity called
tue harvester trust is declared to en-
list in violation of the sherman law.
To accomplish the dsinteEration OF
the so-called trust. the government
asks tho court 10 issue injunctions to
bar from interstate commerce the pro
ducts of the International Harvester
Company or the International Harves-
ter Company of America its selling
agency. The appointment of receiv-
ers to take charge OF the property
and wind up the business. "it the
court should be of the opinion that
the public interests Will DC better
served thereby" is suggested
The filing of the suit came as the
climax of five years of Investigation
by the govern mcnt. Lately the case
has figured prominently in public dis
cussion between President Taft and
eN-President Roosevelt regarding GER
tain instructions Mr.. Roosevelt while
President gave to his Attorney General
concerning prosecution of the concern.
| That feature of the case was recently
before the Senate.
In brief. the government charges the
Harvester Company with being n COM
hination in restraint of trade. mono
| policing or attempting to monopolize
the manufacture and sale of harvest
| ing machinery.
Advanced Prices.
1t is alleged that the company has
advanced the prices of the articles TO
the grave injury of the farmer and
general public, and is extending It's
business into all lines of agricultural
| implements with the purpose of mono
! polistic control.
The government alleges that the In
| .ernai.oual Harvsster Company con-
| trolls ut least 80 per cent. OF the trade
in the United States In harvestcrs or
| grain binders. IS per cent. of the now
ers and more than so per cent. OF the
| binder Irvine. There are only three
| or four manufactures of harvesting
machinery in the United States other
than the International Harvester Com
pany, 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 Har
vester Company has Il complete mono
| poly of harvesting machinery. Con-
sidering agricultural implements OF
every kind. other than harvesting
machinery lines. the petition declares
that the output of the alleged trust
amounts TO over 50 per cent of the
! whole
| The government contends that the
corporation has eliminated competition
| by securing control of a great ma
| jority of the retail implement dealers
| in the United States. who are made
their active selling agents.
The Petition.
! The petition says:
The opportunities for any new
| competitors are constantly beinl,
closed by defendants in all lines of
agricultural implemants the agencies
for distribution. the retail implement
| dealers, and others are rapidly coming