Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-07-08
SELF DEFENSE.
ORGANIZING Il LEAGUE OF MINNIE
SOTA BUSINEsS MEN.
The Importance of United Efforts Walking
Up to the Serious Condition of Afairs
Reasons Why Cities and Citizens of Min
nesota Should Act Together.

nesota Should Act Together.
Pursuant to the call issued by the st
Paul chamber of commerce a preliminar,
meeting was held at the rooms of the cham
Der yesterday morning for tho purpose O
forming a commercial league, comprising
citizens from all sections of the State who
desire to see Minnesota retain her advantages
Fl. M. Rice, chairman of the st. Pau
committee called the conference to order
and briefly stated the sbject of the meeting
He said it was for those present to inaugu
rate Minnesota system of transportation
a danger was threatening the interests o.
our State, and renders thls organization o.
vital Importance. Already the Southern anC
Western part of the State had beer
cut off from MS and in few months the
Illinois Central road will come into Mime
sofa, and swinging to the west of US extend
from Mankato to ST. Cloud.
Mr.. Rice called for an election of officers
which resulted in the selection of II. NJ
Rice as President and VIM. Petit, of Mime
apolis, Secretary. The Eames of tho follow
ing delegations were then furnished:
WDuluth-Col. j. B Culver, T. H. Presnell,
O. P. Stearns, and Mr.. Cass:
From ST. Paul-H. NJ Rice, j. w. Nc
Chung, w. L. Banning, A. S. Efelt J. M.
Gilman, J. Smith, Jr., G. Gotzian, d. w.
Ingersol, r. w. johnson, John Summers.
From Minneapolis Petit, Thomas
Lowry, O. A. Pray, V. s. Hush, H. M. Car
penter, Robert Hale, j. X. Side, J. G. Whit
ney, w. s. King, j. B. Carey.
There were also present Capt. Mahlon
Black, of Minneapolis; j. j. Hill, E.
F. Drake, J. W. Bishop, G. G..
Andrews, S. Lee Davis. ]. Archibald, D.
McCaine, d. A. Robertson, D. r. Noyes, Sem
ator Mcmillan, W. r. Marshall, Mr.. Crippen
and A. Schurmeier, of S.. Peul.
VIM. S. King moved the appointment of a
committee to present plan of action.
MR.. DANN1NG's VIEWS.
Mr.. Banning spoke in support of the
motion. He cited at length the interests
involved, the immense tract of country
which was subsidiary to st. Paul and Min.
neapolis, and the alarm was not premature
when it was believed that Chicago was at
tempting to grasp these interests. He
understood that the rumor was current that
the st. Paul d Duluth route was about pas
sing into the hands inimical to our interests.
Mr. Banning was glad to see Tany represen-
tatives of the st. Paul u Sioux City road
present, also from tho St. Paul d Pacific
road. Their interests were at
stake, and any combination in
to which they entered would
have the power to make it successful. Mr..
Banning closed by asserting the Importance
of tho project, and expressed the wish to
hear from the railroad men present.
PRESIDENT BRAKES REMARKS.
In response to his request President
Drake, of the st. Paul & Sioux City road,
arose. He remarked that he fully appre-
hended the Importance of the project
contemplated, the object of this meeting.
He knew that Chicago was feeling out to
grasp and seize control of the whole North
west. 1t was repetition of the old Alsxan-
drian policy, to conquer until there were no
more worlds to conquer. Mr.. Drake then
referred to how Chicago had monopolzed
many roads in the State, that Iowa was
merely tributary to Chicago, and that the
same as to Minnesota was not far distant,
unless speedy means were used to avert such
q catastrophe. So far as it could be known,
measure being conducted in secret, he
knew that negotiations were
pending by which the controlling
stock of the Duluth was to be sur
rendered into the hands of the enemy. Mr..
Drake spoke of the Northwestern road and
the Chicago, Milwaukee & st. Paul road,
and declared that they acted in consort, and
that the one remedy left to Minnesota was
to establish an independent line TO Lakes
Michigan aud Superior--a direct line which
would be rid CT all the complications which
control the present two outlets mentioned.
The gravity of the interests involved, and
the way they could be preserved to Mime
sofa, were questions of vital Importance, and
required concerted and speedy action on the
part of the commercial interests, etc, of
the whole State. Mr.. Drake saw but one
way out of the impending calamity, and that
was to build independent lines to the lake
shore.
UNJUST DISCRIMINATION.
MIR. d. r. Noyes made few remarks, in
the course of which he gave several exam
pies of how Chicago railroads Disseminated
road union composed of all the roads center
union rates for Chicago, Minnesota rates,
etc., for other States. As for instance, Mr..
Noyes made shipment to Austin and was
same goods were shipped from Chicago. In
nation was shown against all doing
business out of Chicago, as compared
with the favor given business men of Chi
cago.
MIR. Banning replied to Mr.. brakes sug-
gestions. He didn't believe in the building
of new lines. Chicago gained control and
acquired wealth by absorbing railroads and
obtaining contol of the sections which they
drained. 10 be sure produce was thus d.
verified by longer routes to unnatural markets,
bnt the discrimination shown favored this
diversion He thought the remedy lay in pro
tecting the Duluth road and enabling it to
form a part of the Grand Trunk route,
which was opposed to the Chicago concen-
tration. We should keep in mind that
our water routes were the way to
the seaboard, and our railroad
system should be wholly tributary to this
natural route. With such Minnesota sys-
tenn established, we could defy the other
system. To protect this system he invoked
legislation to strengthen such bulwark.
Nil. J. j. HILLS OPINION.
Mr.. J. j. Hlll,in response to an invitation
to speak, said Mr.. brakes reasons had lis
heartiest endorsement. Mr.. Hill referred to
the rumored absorption of the ST..
Paul IL Duluth road. He knew
If the Milwaukee and Chicago
Influence once got control of that road, it
would result in a squeeze in Minnesota which
would be disastrous to ;gricultural, manu-
featuring and all business interests This
control had been secured in southern Min
nesota, and he saw no help for it. He could
not urge too strongly the importance of
keeping this same control in the upper part
OF the State. To-day all the Chicago roads
pooled their earnings an to all intents and
purposes were one organization