Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-04-30
GOVERNMENT FILES PETITION
& CALLING FOR DISSOLUTION
OF INTERNATIONAL
ALLEGED TO CONTROL
LARGE PER CENT OF TRADE
Federal Petition Charges That Com
petition Has Boon Eliminated in Sale
Of Farm Neutrality-suspicious. Nc
cermiek Denies Corporation 10 Evil
Declares Farmers Have Benefited.
so.-suit against the

International Harvester Company
charging It with being monopoly in
restraint Of trade and asking it to be
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
$l4O, 900, 900 harvester corporation sets
forth the charge that the defendant
controls majority Of the trade in har-
vesting machinery in the United
States ITO the grave injury Of the
farmer and general public" 1t asks
that q receiver be appointed to take
charge Of the corporations business II
the court sees ht.
Another petition filed asked Judge
Charles A. Willard to order the tssu-
8ance Of eubpoeneas for all defendants
not residing in this district, the sub
poeneas to be returnable May when
the corporatoins and individuals are
to enter their appearance. The de-
PENDANTS. it ie announced, Will have
to June 8 to enter their pleadings and
the trials probably will be set for the
October term Of court.
Five Years Of Investigation.
The fling of the suit comes as the
ci,nnar Of five years of investigation
nv the RoveFument. Lately the case
has figured prominently in political
discussions between President Taft and
Colonel Roosevelt regarding certain
instructions which Mr.. Roosevelt, while
president In 1907, gave to his attorney
general, Charles J. Bonaparte. That
featuro Of the case was recently before
tho senate.
IN brief the government charged the
harvester company with being COM
.rttllun ni.erss4saint o1- trade. -naonopo-
1iSin9 aor attsnptfmg to monopolixe the
manufacfurink and sales of harvesting
machinery. Il IL alleged that the COM
nanv had advanced the prices OF these
articles to the grave injury Of the
farmer and the general public" and Is
extending its business into all lines OF
agricultural implements with the pur-
pose of monopolistic control.
Controls 50 Per Cent.
The government alleged that the 1n-
ternational Harvester Company con-
trolleds at least 30 per cent OF the trade
In the United States in harvester or
grain binders, Is per cent Of the NOW
ers. and more than so per cent OF the
hinder twine. There are only three or
four manufacturers Of harvesting ma
chinery in the United States other than
fhe International Harvester Company.
the petition says. These It is added.
are conservatively small and as a bus
mess does not embrace the entire
United States. In many sections OF the
country the international Harvester
Com pany has a complete monopoly OF
harvesting machinery. Consideztng ag-
ricultural Implements of every kind
other than harvesting lines. the petit
ton says that the output Of the al
legged trust amounts to over 30 per cent
of the whole.
Composition eliminated.
The government contends that the
corporation has eliminated competition
by securing control Of great major
ity Of the retail implement dealers In
the United States, who are made their
exclusive selling agents.
The prosecution of the case will be
directed by Edwin p. Grosvenor. spe-
cial assistant to the attorney general
who had charge Of the."bath tub trust"
cases. In addition to Mr.. Grosvenor the
petition Is signed by Attorney General
Z Wfckersham, ]. A. Fowler. assistant to
the attorney general and Charles @.
Houpt, United States district attorney
at st. Paul.