The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-11-06
Asks That Decree Declaring
Concern a Monopoly Be
Entered
CALLS MCCORMICK
FOUNDER OF TRUST
Career of Harvester Company Re-
viewed by Attorney General.
Wiped Out Competition by
Illegal Methods

st. Paul. Mimi. November 5.--Attor-
ney General James McReynolds, con-
cluding final arguments for dissolution
of the International Harvester company
before the United States district court
this afternoon, asked that an inter-
louctory decree be entered by the court
declaring the harvester concern a mo :
nopoly in restraint. He requested that
to submit to the court a proper plan of
reorganization.
1T is the view of the governmer
that this company must be cut up into
separate and distinct units" the At
torney General said. This must be done
in such way that the stockholders of
the different parts must be distinct We
insist that 1T is an economic impossi-
bility for companies owned by the same
people to furnish bona-fide competi-
tion."
Condemns Mccormack
Mr.. McReynolds condemned Cyrus
Mccormick, whom he called the foun-
der of the harvester trust" because
Mr.. Mccormick had not appeared in
the case.
Mr.. McReynolds reviewed the career
of the harvester company from it's or
ganization 10 years ago, pointing out
to the court specific instances in which,
he said, the law had been violated,
furnishing an ample basis for an order
of dissolution under the Sherman law
The story of this powerful monopoly,
marking time, or losing business here
and there, as related by some of the
counsel for the defense is absurd" said
the Attorney General. Take the
finances of this concern in 1903 and take
them now and what have We?
In 1908 the total business done by
the international Harvester company
was s53,000,O00; In 1912 it had increased
to $125,000,000;in the same length of
time its .caital had increased from $780,
100000 to S163, 1000, and between 1908
and 1911 the latest figures available, the
essets of thisifra. ieern had inerea se9
from s130000,000 to s225.000, 600. The
figures in terse form tell the story of
rapid growth of the power of this con-
cern. This expansion has been so enor-
nous that the word of this corporation
has become absolute law to thousands
and thousands
SOmpctitiOu Nlpeu Out
when the Mccormick, the Deering
the Plano, the champion, the Milwaukee
and the Osborne companies entered this
organization, then this monopoly auto
matlcally was born. The existing COM
petition was wiped out.
THE International Harvester company
in its first year had the following per-
eentages of the nations business in the
varied lines; 80 per cent of the binders;
Of ha -
cent of the mowers; So per cent of the
rakes and 40 per cent OF the twine.
And there is nothing in the evidence
to show that this situation has changed
in 10 years. OF course there has been
some competition. We got that story in
the tobacco case and in numerous other
trust cases. But the fact stands out that
We have more than 30 per cent of the
great harvesting companies of the coun-
try put under one company
mo man who looks on that picture can
fail to see that this concern had the alb
solute power to fix prices. OF course
there existed no desire to get 100 per cent
of the business. A certain amount of
competition keeps down public sentiment
and helps in other ways.
Intent Immaterial
Intent is wholly immaterial Philan-
thropic purpose cannot be pleaded as
Jusuf1catlon Tor the result. When these
defendants purposely entered into this
organization, in this conspiracy, they laid
themselves liable to be charged with guilt
for the result"
John p. Wilson, during the summing up
for the defense predicted price war
among harvester manufacturing firms.
Whether this plea is granted or not"
said Mr.. Wilson, there will be in the
next few years competition in these lines
such as the world has never seen. A war
is now on not only in agricultural imple-
ments, but In harvester lines. which Is
going to be the fiercest ever known