Evening star., 1914-02-08
laws TO STRIKE TRUSTS
MAY HIT THE FARMERS
Majority Party in Congress Beset by
the Difficulties of
Legislation.
Protests From Agriculturists
Against Enactments Further to
Define" the Sherman Act.
Protests

If the committees of Congress now en-
gagged in framing antitrust legislation
do not look alive. they will run afoul of
the hard headed farmers of the country.
Ihe situation is a ticklish one for the
democrats. 1t is said as protests are al
ready being received from farmers CO.
operative organizations. asking that they
be not included in the definition of the
word monopoly. Typical of these pro-
tests are petitions from various unions of
the American Society of Equity, which is
a farmers organization of considerable
strength in the northwest. The petitions
demonstrate against the enactment Of
legislation further to define the Sher-
man antitrust act and making it appli-
cable to farmers and consumers coop
erat1ve organizations.
Many d democrat it is understood now
sees this danger-that he promised the
common people" he would urge and
help legislation to curb monopoIies, and
now he finds the 'tcommonest' of the peo-
pie protesting that the blow about to be
struck will hit the farmer, who never
before was accused of being a portion of
the octopus system. The democrats see
a grand chance TO make a misplay that
votes in the coming elections
Foresees Considerable 'tDodging."
member from an agricultural dis
trict said yesterday that the democrats
will have to do considerable lodging on
the issue, and the wisest thing to be
done is to find good hiding place when
the lodging starts.
A northwestern CONGRESSMAN has al
ready announced that he believes the
administration will call Illegal all farm
ers' associations organized at times to
hold up prices and at other times to pro-
vide means whereby farmers may CO.
operative to buy cheaply. This congress-
man is Representative Volstead of Min
nesota. ranking republican member of the
judiciary committee. Seth Low of New
York has told the committee that the
antitrust bills are SO finely drawn as to
affect intrastate we'll as interstate
farm organizations. despite the fact that
Congress deals only with interstate rela-
tons. This is matter of grave concern
to the agricultural northwest.
Alleged Troublesome Provision.
The provision which many believe will
hit the very farmers who. asked for anti
trust laws is as follows:
That it shall be unlawful for persons.
firms or corporations. or any two or more
of them engaged in trade or business car
ried on between the states. to make any
agreements, enter into any arrangement,
or arrive at any understanding by which
they, directly or indirectly. undertake to
prevent free and unrestricted competi-
ton among themselves or among any
purchasers or consumers in the sale, pro-
duction or transportation of any product,
article or commodity
1t is easy to read in this a blow at
agricultural pools" which operate with
in state boundaries. Those who believe
firmly that the blow Will fall on the
farmers say that in some respects all
associations. though organized
for state business only, enter into inter-
state commerce to some extent.
Farmers Very Much Alive.
1t is. therefore. held that the managers
of these organizations should make a