The Detroit times., 1916-01-26
Hudson Man Leads
in Efforts to Break
Combine
MEANS MUCH
TO ALL FARMERS
Bankers and CarranZa
Working to Boost
Prices
- > 80 carr.sponasnt.

NFNHh n ENa.| ~ W 'ta f.Affttat'sNa
WASHINGTON. Jan 26.-Evi-
5erce having been submitted to the
federal trade commission and the
department OF justice that one Amer
lean corporation has a monopoly on
an the slssl grass produced In the
state OF yucatan Mex. administra-
-ion officials have promised immedi-
ate and drastic action. All Ameri-
can binder tvine factories are de
pendent absolutely on the grass pro
duced On Yucstsn. because that Is
the only place where II is grown IN
any iarse quantities
According 90 sworn Information
submitted 20 rHe federal depart
mau-= ay representatives OF the
binder tofus factories. monopoiistic
control of the sisai grass output
which has been effective but few
weeks already has resulted IN ad-
vanre- of -5 10 31 per cent This
.dyar,s. so .r vas pointed out, is re-
fected ln an advance In the price of
rhe finished product OF about three
cents o. pound In Michigan. which
f. comparatively small grain-grow-
ing state. I2.511U60 pounds OF bind
ar tVina are used IN a year, so an
advance of that amount acts "a a
.ax of Sg75.010 on the farmers OF
Michigan
Edward Frensdort. OF Hudson.
Mich. member of the board OF con
,rul 1g Jackson prison. which oper-
ates binder tvne factory with
convict labor. has been in Washing
ton week. conterring with Chair
man Joseph f. Davies. OF the federal
trade commission. and Assistant At
forney-Gaueral George c. Todd. Of
the department of Justice They
have assured him that existing laws
give them sufficient authority 10
break The alleged combination even
though f does claim rs main Offices
no be iu Merida. Yucatan. II was
represented 20 the department that
The monopoly known as the Conf
sion Reluatoa Del Mercado De
Hanaqueu is made MP entirely o.
s er'car capital. and has Offices in
Wallet. New York All purchasers
Of sisa grass must do business
here
Prior 20 the placing OF an em.
barge on the expectation Of sisal
grass by Carranza about a year ago.
prison factories as we'll as private
factories could buy sisal OF the inde-
pendent producers IN Yucatan, but
ben Carranza raised the embargo
he put on three export taxes, which
raised the price 10 American pur-
chasgrs about one cent a pound. II
has been shown that Carranza has
1Go'ioned the so-called regulating
commission" which now has control
of the sisal grass output and thar
he producers Of the grass have
been threatened with condsCatlOn o!
their product n they try 20 sell 20
any independent purchaser.
Officials OF the government assert
thar II they should not be able "a
reach the combination under the
poKcrs given by the antitrust laws
Of the United states. pressure could
be brought 70 bear on Carranza N
various ways 10 force relief Rep
rcseutations made by the United
States soon after the embargo vas
put on forced the raising OF that
According % statements made 20 the
federal authorities every farmer IN
The United States f. now IN the
clutches Of the monopoly. and that
o. is reasonable 10 expect. unless
some action is taken. that The price
Of sisal will increase "a the next
harvest season approaches.
Senator McCumber, ~ North Ia
ko'a. introduced a resolution for an
investigation ~ the alleged monop.
o.y several DAYS ago. bat represen-
tatives 81 several small binder
faine factories were of the belief II
would be- better to work through the
government departments than 20
await congressional action
Grant ". Slocum. secretary Of the
National Farmers and Grain Grow.
ers association. wired Mr. Frensdori
that 10000 aRriculturists with 1906
organizations In Michigan, Ohio. In
diana and Illinois were anxious foi
.lLlnn aralnsi The monopOlY.