Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1912-12-19
suffer MAKERS IN
COMBINE, IS CHARGED
Suit to Dissolve Elgin Board of
Trade ard Association Of
Creamery Men.

Chicago, Dec. 16.-The Elgln board OF
trade, popularity known as the but
ter trust" and the American Associa-
ton of Creamery Butter Manufac-
turers, were attacked by the federal
government in civil antitrust suit
filed Saturday for the dissolution of
both concerns.
Sweeping charges of conspiracy to
fix arbitrarily the price of butter In
the Interest Of big manufacturers and
cold storage concerns and to the detri-
ment Of the farmers, other small con-
Germs and to the consuming public are
made by Attorney General Wickersham,
against the so-called trust which he
would destroy as violation of the
Sherman law.
Butter making has drifted to the
large manufacturers, the national in
crease in volume of business has been
curtailed and prices to the people of
the country have been enhanced. es-
pecially during the winter season, by
the operations of the "conspirators,"
according to the governments petition
In equity.
List Of Defendants.
The following are named as defend
ants:
Elgtn board of trade, Charles H.
Potter. Elgin; III. G. Christians, Rich
field, Wis; ]. p. Mason, Elgin; Col
win W. Brown, Elgin: A. c. Hawley,
Jerseyville, ILL.,; American Association
of Creamery Butter Manufacturers
lunincorporated); James A. Walker,
Neb.; VIM. D. Howard. Fort Atkinson.
Wis; George L. Mckay, Chicago; e.
II. Forney, Abilene. kan: Henry
Bridgeman, Duluth; James H. Ruston.
Omaha; Charles Harding, Omaha; Ar
thur S. Hanford, Sioux City; Carl w
Kent, Kansas City; Henry a. Page
Toledo; Samuel Schlosser, Plymouth,
Ind; William A. Tilden, st. Paul; Sam
uel p. Wadley, Dubuque. Ia, and w. T.
Sherman White, Chicago.
The bill is signed by Attorney Cen
eral Wickersham, James A. Fowler as
sistant to the attorney general; United
States Attorney Wilkerson, of Chi
cago and Stanley d. Montgomery, AL
bert G. Welch and Charles F. De
Woody, special assistants to the at
torney general.
Would Stop Quotations.
Aside from the dissolution of the two
organizations, the government seeks to
enjoin me defendants from quoting OF
publishing figures purporting to be
market prices unless they are based
on bonafide sales of butter from de-
handing that the Elgin, price be used
as a basis in making contracts for
butter; and from making fictitious OF
wash sales" of butter to mislead as to
the real price at which butter is be-
ing sold.
The price of butter fixed on the FL
gin exchange. the government main
tains is not the result of free anC
open competition, regulated by actua
bona fide sales under the law of supply
and demand. The price fixing COM
mittee Of the board is dominated and
controlled, it is alleged. by large but
ter manufacturers. known as central
izers and by cold storage concerns
This committee, the presentation adds
has acted arbitrarily and without any
regard to actual values and fixed prices
wholly in the interest of the 'conspira
tors.''
Price Boosting Alleged.
From May to August, when the bull
of the country's supply is made, tnt
petition says, large centraliZing con
Germs are buyers, rather than seller:
of butter buying UP the surplus pro
duct and storing it for winter when the
price is enhanced. Consequently it is
declared the prices of butter fixed by
the board during the summer month:
have been almost Invariably, below tn.
price at which the product actual.
has sold up on the market, while dur,
ing the winter months the prices fixed
have been somewhat above market an(
private sales.
1t is charged that the American AS
ISOLATION of Creamery Butter Manufac
turers, composed of about As firms anl
individuals is used by the 'conspira
tors" to maintain these seasonable diff
ferences in prices without regard t.
trade conditions or competition. AL
members of the association are re
3quired, it is alleged, to use the pric,
thus established as the basis of thei
contracts for the purchase or sale o
butter
Before the summer of each year. tn,