St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-09-17
THE ATTORNEY-GENER ISy1T
INCLINED TO ACCTrT -TTFDGE
SANBORN,s DECISION.
WILL START AN ACTION, TOO.
If HE FINDS THE AUTHORITIES
ARE NOT ALL ON ONE
SIDE.
HIS COURSE DECIDED UPON.
MinnesOta1s Legal Representative
Will Be Heard From in u
Few Days.

Attorney General Childs is arrang>
ing to take a hand in the question
of the consolidation of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific rail-
ways. He was interesting himself
in the matter before Judge San
born's decision was filed. In fact,
it was reported last week that no
matter what was the decision in
the United States court he would
bring an action himself on behalf Of
the state to prevent the proposed
consolidation. Whether ATTORNEY
General Childs got the idea that a.
good many other people did, that
the present suit was purely friend
ly one, a sort of precautionary
step to test the legality of the move
before consummating it, is not
known, but he made up his mind
that such a move as contemplated
by the roads would not be in the
interest of the state or the people,
and that, as the legal representative,
he would fight it. That he has not
changed his mind is believed to be
evidenced by the fact that he will
not deny that he is preparing to do
SO. He told reporter for the
G l o b e yesterday afternoon that he
had decided not to say anything
about what he intended to do. He
is, therefore, thinking of doing some
thing, and that something will de-
velop in a few days.
Since the filing of Judge Sanborn's
decision Gen. Childs has been devot-
ing all of his time, or most of it, go
ing over the document The very
large number of references and au-
thorities quoted has taken a good
deal of time. Every citation has
been looked up carefully. Yester-
day the general spent much of the
day buried in legal volumes in the
law library at the capitol. He is
studying every point referred to in
the decision, and unless these have
thoroughly shaken him in his opin-
ion regarding the issue he will go on
with the plan he mapped out for
himself several. days ago When he
has prepared his case, if he does. he
will file it in the Ramsey county
district court. There he expects a
favorable decision, and any appeal
ing that is done will have to be by
the interested railroad companies.
1t would seem that Gen. ChiIds
had no faith in the suit before Judge
Sanborn from the start. It is under
stood that he was invited, if not
urged, to come in as interviewer when
The case was started. He, however.
refused to do so, preferring to map
out his own course and carry the
thing himself rather than mix up
with a suit of which he was suspf-
cious. He did not then nor does he
now believe that the Great Northern
road has such a vested right as will
permit it to consolidate with the
Northern Pacific, but that there is
to be found legal backing for op-
position to such a course in the laws
OF Minnesota. If he does pursue
the course laid down he will have.
as backing, the Judgment of a whole
lot OF lawyers, for many of them who
have read Judge Sanborn's decision.
according to reports heard yesterday,
are inclined to doubt that it would
meet the stamp of approval of the
supreme court.