Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-05-18
EXPLAINS THE
LEGISLATION
Interview With c. E. La Vigne, Who
Visited His Home City a Few
Hours on Wednesday.

Mr.. c. E. La Vigne, who is touring
the country as representative of the
American Fair Trade League of New
York and is speaking in the larger
cities before Chambers of Commerce
and Commercial organizations, made
an address last evening in Manitowoc
He came to Grand Rapids for few
hours on Wednesday from La Crosse,
where he spoke before the Manufac-
turers' and Jobbers' Association on
Tuesday.
From Manitowoc he will cover a
number of cities in Indiana, going
from there to Topeka, Kansas; Okla
homa City, Okla; Dallas, Austin and
San Antonio, Texas.
In short interview Wednesday
morning, Mr.. La Vigne said:
in March, this year, two bills of
paramount Importance and interest to
merchandisers of our country were in
troduced in congress-one by Senator
Henry F. Ashurst Of Arizona and one
by Representative Dan V. Stephens of
Nebraska. The senate and thehouse
bills are identical in form. For con-
venience of discussion, therefore, they
may be called one, namely, the Steph-
ens-Ashurst BILL"
By an unfortunate confusion of
terms used at the outset in discussing
this question men going in the same
direction did not meet upon common
ground and opposing statements had
no relation one to the other. Sugges-
ton Of fixed" price smacked of
monopoly to the initiated and unstu-
died. Fixed" was the term used al
first instead of uniform" price. + II
sounded like trust control, tending di-
rectly in restraint of trade, because il
was interpreted as restoration Of the
privilege of combination by groups te
fix and act in manner ruled out ir
judicial decisions and the application
of the Sherman antitrust law. Many
points have cleared in the public un.
Outstanding and with them a growing
sentiment for price maintenance.
A uniform price for uniform goods
marketed in open competition by Al
individual or firm not in combination
with anyone else is quite another
thing than the fixed price we have beer
accustomed to talk about under monop
oily. This, therefore, is not problem
Of combinations in any sense Of tn,
word, but rather aquestion of wha
the individual may do where there i
no combination.
Purpose of Bill.
"Let us examine specifically wha
this bill undertakes to do. It declare
that when a grower (meaning tn
farmer), producer, owner, or manu-
facturer places upon the market an
article in interstate commerce unde
trade mark or special brand, he ma
by contract prescribe the uniform prize
at which that product shall be resolt
Anu SuSii pAISI &noob bI Ai w q
dealers in like circumstances, with n
discrimination for any cause or by an
device whatsoever.
"a monopoly or control Of the maj
ket on any such trade marked or bran
ed article, or any agreement, combine
ton, or understanding with a compet
itor in the production, manufacture, c
sale Of merchandise in the same ger
eral class automatically prevents tn
marketing of articles under this prt
vision or act.
There are provisions to protect tt
dealers in cases of damaged, deteri,
rated, or soiled goods, or in the eve,
Of winding up business, receivership
bankruptcy, disposal sales, and eve