New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-11-06
COURT DECREE SPLITTING
HARVESTER TRUST ASKED
MCReynOIdS Demands Each Unit
Have Stockholders Sepa-
rate from Others.
HOLDS PRICE FIXING POWER
Attorney General Cites Figures
to Show Combine Is Absolute
Monopoly Cyrus Nc
Cormick Criticised.

St Paul, Nov. Attorney General Nc
Reynolds, ending the arguments for disso-
luton of the international Harvester
Company before the United States Dis
trict Court this afternoon, asked that an
interlocutory decree be entered by the
court. declaring the Harvester concern a
monopoly in restraint Of trade. He re-
quested that the defendants have rea-
sonable time to submit to the court
proper plan Of reorganization.
1T is the view Of the government that
this company must be cut up into sepa-
rate and distinct units" the Attorney
General said This must be done in such
a way that the stockholders Of the differ
ent parts must be distinct. We insist that
II is an economic impossibility for COM
panies owned by the same people to fur-
nish bonaide competition
Mr.. McReynolds criticised Cyrus Nc
Cormick. whom he called the founder of
the Harvester trust, because Mr.. Nc
Cormick did not appear in the case.
Mr.. McReynol6s reviewed the career OF
the Harvester company from Its organha-
ton. ten years ago, pointing out TO the
court specific instances in which, ne 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 defence, is absurd said the Al
torney General. Take the finances 81
this concern in 1908 and take them now
and what have we?
"In 1903 the total business done by tAe
international Harvester Company was
s53.oo0,OO0: in 1912 it had increased 10
s125.OO0 900: in the same length Of time
it's Capitalization had increased from
s12o ooo. 900 TO 1853, OOO,o 900 and between
1909 and 1911, the latest figures available
the assets Of this concern had Increased
from s130.OOO,O 900 to s22S.000,OO0, Those
figures, in terse form. tell the story OF the
ranid growth Of the power Of this concern.
This EXPANSION has been so enormous that
the word of this corpotation has become
absolute law to thousands and thousands
'The International Harvester Company
in its first year held the following per-
centages Of the nations business In the
varied lines 9S per cent Of the binders,
% per cent Of the corn binders. 81 per
cent Of the mowers, IS per cent OF the
rakes and 40 per cent of the twine.
"And there is nothing in the evidence 10
show that this situation has changed in
ten years. Of course. there has been some
competition. We got that story in the
Tobacco cases and in numerous other
trust cases But the fact stands out that
we have more than 80 per cent OF the
great harvesting companies of the coun-
try put under one company.
NO man who looks upon that picture
can fail 10 see that this concern has the
absolute 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"
John p. Wilson. in his argument Tor the
defence. predicted price war among
harvester manufacturing concerns.
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 impie-
ments, but in harvester lines, which IS
going 10 be the fiercest ever known