The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1913-03-03

control Of harvesting machines, SAYS
the commissioner. has been attempted
with more or less success by the com.
panN' representatives.
COMPETITIVE methods employed by the
Harvester company. Mr.. Conant de.
clares. have been the subject of much
complaint. Regarding the charge that
the company has made an effort to
ecure an undue proportion of local
dealers in farm machinery by allotting.
as a rule. only a single brand to any
one dealer in the same place. thus
tending to restrict the outlet for COM
petitors goods. Commissioner Conan,
says:
Handicapped Competition.
The company's own records show
tina this was one purpose at least in
making this distribution of its brands,
and 1T appears to have had some prac.
teal effect in handicapping competi-
ton.
Special discriminatory prices and
been reported in a number of in
stances. but the general policy Of the
company Is to maintain high prices iii
the monopolized lines; in the princi-
pal new lines however, where con-
siderable competition is encountered,
unusually low prices and long terms
have been generally employed.
<aIlOlIleI IdluCE general complaint
is that statesmen Of the International
Harvester company represent that
purchasers of competing lines of har-
vesting machines will be unable to
secure repair parts. a matter of much
practical importance. Officers of the
International Harvester company adj
nit that this was at one time a COM
mon characteristic of competition in
the harvesting machine industry. but
ltHat the ma ic nnnncaH IN tho
practice and has used active efforts t.
eliminate it. The bureau, however,
received rather numerous complaints
Of this character,
The company at one time openly
attempted through a clause in it's com.
mission contracts. to control the price
paid for its machines by the farmer
to the retail dealer. Since the elm
nation of this clause. suggested re.
tail price lists have been rather gen-
orally circulated by some of its branch
officers. apparently for the purpose
OF indirectly maintaining the retail
price. although the company contends
that these lists are intended for the
use OF its employees in furnishing in
formation to purchasers and processes
to discourage their issuance to dealers.
1t is evident. however. hat it could
completely stop this practice if it
really wished to-"
Although new competition of great
significance has begun to appear, the
commissioner points out that the COM
b!nation in 1911 still had about SO pey
cent of the production Of binders, rs
per cent of the production of mower
and 72 per cen of the production Of
rakers. In manure spreaders, he adds,
il appears to have over one-half of the
business. in disk harrows approxi-
mately 40 per cent and to be increas-
ing its proportion in several othe.
lines, such as wagons and gasoline
engines.
er.Capitalization.
The extraordinary over-capitaliza.
ton which characterized most Of the
large industrial consultations of the
period Of 1895 to 1901" was absent in
the case of the International Harves-
ter company. says Mr.. Conant. The
original capital of 1920, 900, 900 in
cluded $60,000.0 900 in cash and $50.
100000 representing the appraisal
value of plants. inventions, etc. The
commissioner points out several al.
legged excessive valuations, but saws
that the value of the properties plls
the cash capital covered SUBSTANTIALLY
80 per cent Of the capital stock issued
and holds that a fair valuation for
good will" which was not Included