The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1915-08-02
LAW A
C|NCH MEASURE
Government Sets Strict Rules for
Transaction Of Business In
Every Line

Jobbers, wholesale men and retui
ers ARE Just now beginning to study
the provision Of the Clayton law,
congressional net which went into ef
feet on July NJ this year. They
are realizing that # ts one of the
most drastic measures ever passed By
the congress VI the United StuteS.
The provisions u the new law ure
not any too well understood by buI
ues, men over the country. but they
do not like the measure That much
Is certulu The Clayton law means
one price absolutely one price to all
conditions being the sume under a
given set of circumstances.
The drastic part " the new meas.
urc comes In with the punishment
TINT is provided FOR its violation. For
lnstan.c, II Il Jobber sells an article to
one customer at certain price and
shndes the price a little 10 better
customer, he IL liable 10 a fine NJ
$1,000 aud year In jail FOR violation
" the federal law. That is the max
imum punishment II retailer sells
II suit to one customer for $50 and d
similar suit 10 another for tl05O he
lays himself liable to similar fine
and the same term Ia jail, II the gov
ernmcnt finds It ont
Commission TO Interpret Law
Brfur" the law went into effect the
federnl government appointed com.
mission 10 interpret liz different see
tions The commission held one meet
Ing In Chicago aud VAS met there by
business men, jobbcrs aud others. from
different parts NJ the country. The
commission Interpreted the law Hs
meaning Just whit TX said.
But this law will drive nine tenths
~ the retailers ont NJ business" one
man Is credited with having said to
the members ~ the commission.
There IL no way ~ getting around
the law, as rnr ns the business men
" the country can see now Some of
them call It pHtrruallsm They say
the government has practically taken
charge ~ the business NJ the country.
even down 10 the sale " dollars
worth Of sugar or % cents worth "
coffee.
The new law viii affect johbers and
Wholesale men 10 greater degree
than others perhaps. because II Is
easier FOR the government To get at
their transactions The juhber will
not be permitted to shade the prices
he make, for a good customer, who
buys $4,000 worth iu the course of
n year unless hr buys in large
quantities.. II the quantity Is the
same az that sold ~ the customer
who is known ~ be doubtful and who
may become lame duck before the
end NJ the year, the prices must be
the same.
Distance and Freight Rates
While II is true that freight rates
and distance may be taken into con
sidprntlon that does not mitigate
the severity of the Clayton net In the
slightest degree Freight was added
on shipments before the new law was
passed The chief complaint about the
new law IL thnt II does not differ
entlate between good customers aud
doubtful ones.
Some VI the jUhbers In this city
knew nothing about the Clayton act
when called upon 10 give their opln.
ion OF II, They knew such a law had
been passed, but they had paid little
attention To IT, They had been going
right on In the transaction of bust
ness, unaware that the government
had made strict rules for them aud
that II these rules were followed they
were In danger " having Ia face II
heHYy fine and year In jail.
Retailers too, were found to be Just
az ignorant Of the new law. They did
not know that by giving good, cash
customer shade the best VI II on
prices that they were violating u
federul statute. Some uf them may
have violated the Inv often enough to
get about Il million years IN jull, since
the first NJ July. but they were total.
ly ignorant Of its provisions. which.
az any lawyer win tell them, Is no
excuse at all.
II you have II In for the man YOU
deal with, In any line ~ trade and
ran find out that he has sold nm auto.
mobile or pair of shoes, or a sack
of prunes, or any other article Of
commerce little cheaper to your
neighbor than to you, he can h,
cinched for heavy fine aud a jai
sentence. He may have n cash prlc,
and credit price, but his cash prlc,
mW be- the same tc all and his credit
price the same 10 every customer.
That II what the last congress dit
to us, How do we know what the mex
win dn7