Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1912-05-08
SUIT TO SMASH
HARVESTER FILED
U. S. Starts Case Charging Vio-
IationS of Trust Law.
CASE is TO BE RUSHED
Federal Bill Says $14o,ooo,ooo Com
bine Uses Unfair and Secret
Methods, and Is lnjuring
the Public.

st. Paul, MINI, May 2.-The govern
ment on Tuesday instituted q suit
against the International Harvester
company under the provisions of the
Sherman antitrust law, by filing a pc
tition in equity in the federal district
court here
The government asks:
That the $140, 100000 corporation be
dissolved on the ground that it is
monopoly in restraint of trade.
That injunctions be issued to bar
from interstate commerce the prod
ucts of the International Harvester
company or of the international Har-
vester Company of America, its sell
ing agency.
That receivers be appointed to take
charge of the property and wind up
the business of the defendant, if the
court finds such action compatible
with public interest.
The following corporations and indi
in the petition:
International Harvester company,
International Harvester Company Of
America, International Flax Irvine
company, Wisconsin Steel company,
Wisconsin Lumber company, Illinois
Northern railway, Chicago, West Pull
man G Southern Railroad company,
Cyrus H. Mccormick, George F. Ba-
ker, Charles Deering, Norman B.
Ream, James Deering, Charles Steele,
John J. Glessner, John A. Chapman,
William H. Jones, Ebert H. Gary,
Harold F. Mccormick, Thomas D.
Jones, Richard F. Howe, John P. Will
son, Edgar A. Bancroft, William L.
Saunders, William J. Louderback,
George w. Perkins.
Assistant District Attorney J. Mark
Dickey, who filed the petition before
Judge Charles A. Willard, announced
that the subpoenas issued for Cyrus
H Mccormick, president of the Har-
vester company, and for all the rest
of the IS individuals and seven cor
porations are returnable May 6. The
defendants must enter their appear
ance in court by June 8, but it prob
ably will be July 1 before they will be
required to answer the governments
petition.
Mr.. Dickey received word that At
torney General Wickersham would
probably file certificate of expedition
in order that as little time as possible
will be lost in bringing the suit to
trial. The case by this means will be
removed from the district court of
Minnesota to the United States circuit
court of appeals for the Eighth dis
trict, thus fastening the issue to the
Supreme court of the United States.
The charges by the government
against the Harvester company are:
That the company is monopolizine
the manufacture and sale of harvest
ing machinery, has advanced prices
ito the grave injury of the farmer and
the general public"
That the company 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 binder twine
That the company has absorbed
competing companies while allowing
the companies still to advertise as be-
ing independent, thereby misleading,
deceiving and defrauding the public
and more effectually crippling exist
ing competitors and keeping out new
ones"
That the defendants have resorted
to unfair trade methods by attempt
ing to induce agents to handle only
their products.
That they have bought up patents to
perpetuate the monopoly.
That in organizing the international
Harvester company the defendants
were actuated by determination to
form a monopoly.
That the company bound retail
dealers by contract not to sell the
products of any other manufacturer.
That the harvester company re-
ceives iron, steel and lumber from the
Wisconsin Steel company and the
Wisconsin Lumber company, subsidi-
aries. which are used to eliminate
competition.
The company was Incorporated in
New Jersey with a capital stock orig
inally of $120,000,000 The control of
the capital stock was placed in the
hands of three voting trustees-Cyrus
H. Mccormick, Charles Deering and
George w. Perkins, who issued stock