Norwich bulletin., 1913-01-14
CORN FLAKE COMPANY
 IS NOT A MONOPOLY
W. K. Kellogg Says It Has Not Less
 Than 100 Competitors.
Special to The Bulletin, :,

tSP6CEdl To I96 BuHGt1n-s | New York, Jan. 13.-The action of Attorney General W1ckershan in bringing an action against the Kellogg Toasted Corn Flake Co, of Battle Creek, Mich, under the Sherman anti trust law, has oceasfonea widespread surprise in manufacturing circles and those most coEversant with issues cen teFing around grocery trade selling poI- icies are in the dark regarding the government expectations in the pres ent suit.
 According to leading members of the grocery trade. there appears to be some misunderstanding on the part of the government attorneys as to certain im- portant facts The Kellogg company has no contracts at all with wholesale or retail grocers and has always
 maintained absolute independence of other manufacturers.
 w K Kellogg is now on his way to South America and his first inforYna- tion regarding the suit came from the New York news pa perS a few hours be- fore he sailed MT. Kellogg declined to state just what action his com pany will take in the matter till he knew more about the case and under stood just what the company is charged with
 All I care to say noW,'' said Mir. Kellogg, 'is that the whole matter is complete surprise to us. We adopt ed our policy with a very honest de- sire not only to conform to the letter of the law, but to it's spirit and the things we aimed to accomplish by our selling plan are the very things for which we understood the Sherman and other conspiracy laws were designed the protection of the consumer and small dealer in the same equality of opportunity enjoyed by trusts and big buyers If these things are contrary to law, we shall be much surprised.
 We have acted under the best legal advice and supposed We were entirely r--iT hi -irrJ7E own brand of goods, upon which wide spread public approval has placed the stamp of quality.
 Our whole aim has been to keep our goods moving and to place them in the hands of as many grocers as possible by making them profitable for every little corner grocery to handle free from unfair fayoritis1n usually shown his big competitor, in order that the consumer may get them fresh and promptly. For that reason sure and quick distribution was necessary and statistics show that the surest way to secure it is to deal only through the wholesalers, leaving them to sell retailers.
 Tt has been the means of placing our goods in the hands of not less than 250. 900 retail grocers in every corner. of the country and on a basis of absolute equality.
 "Of course this has drawn the en- mity of the big dealers who enjoyed special privileges from some manufac- turers and we have encountered much opposition, To protect ourselves and our distributoes-and through them the coasumers-it has been necessary to decline to sell our goods to dealers who would use them only for unfair competition, and not only injure us but other dealers and ultimately the consumer.
 Any suggestion that we are a mon ePaly is Imaginable. There afS2 not less than 166 other kinds of corn flakes on the market. all in competition with ours. and we have nc connection with any of them. We regard the patent question as a<nliner issue, Our pat ented package was designed just as our selling policy was, to keep tlse