The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-28

the Twin Cities and the state at large
was the fact that the sale of this dis
tlnctively Minnesota property to Tor
elgn corporation tIor the Northern Pa
clt1c operates un0er Wisconsin char
ter might result in depriving the state
authorities, In measure at least, from
exercising the power OF control over the
old st. Paul q Duluth line that 1T pos
sessed as long as its separate entity was
maintained. 1t is a 1am1lir fact that
many railroad corporations transfer bus
mess from one side OF the state line %
the other IN order to give it an interstat tie
character, so as tonescape state commits
sion and state cohs4 jurisdiction. Our
state railroad commission has no Juris-
dIct1on OF rates on commodities the snip
ment OF Which originates in Superior.
For instance, when cur supreme court
recently decided that the Minneapolis
q st. Louis Railroad company, carrying
coal in conjunction with the st. Paul e
Duluth, Should charge for the distance
TO the rate that was charged from Du-
luth to Minneapolis, the company at
once refused to accept coal from The St
Paul d Duluth road sfor shipment on its
road, and only accepted coal shipped
from Superior, hoping thereby TO esca pc
state regulation If a change of man
agement or different spirit than now
eyinced should have aetuated the North
ern Pacific management TO adopt such
policy, it might have resulted in
transferring the Duluth terminal bust
not wholly, and might have proved dis
astrouS to the future development OF
Duluth. Besides, it would have deprived
the state authorities Of all supervision
and control of rates, which would GER
tainly have imperiled the commercial
supremacy of the Twin Cities as well.
/ am not saying that this would have
occurred II the consolidation had been
consummated without objection on the
part o. the state, nor do | say that the
state would have been without some re-
dress if it had been attempted, but these
were the dangers as it seemed to me and
to the commission Involved in the sale
of the Duluth road to the Northern Pa
cific. To prevent this the suit was
brought. Some time ago. the Northern
Pacific people called ION me and the at
torney general and the commissioners
and explained that the tendency of the
suit embarrassed them ito some extent
iii consummatirg Arrangements that they
were-a about to make, and wanted to know
the real object of its inSt1tHtion, calling
attention to the fact that the conSoli-
dalton could not affect rates, as there
had never been any competition between
their road and the Duluth road. 1 stat
ed frankly to them my fears and the
grounds that actuated the commission
in bringing the suit They stated that
they had no; DESIRE to escape the fullest
state control and state supervision, so
far as the Duluth line was concerned,
nor had they the remotest idea of trans
ferring any of the terminals and bust
for the purpose of. making the traffic IN
terstate. l suggested that if that was
their position and they were willing TO
enter into a specific agreement with
the state authorities, that they would
forever maintain the St. Paul & Duluth
railroad as a state line, the same as If
the transfer had net been made, and
would also forever. maintain and operare
adequate terminal facilities within the
state of Minnesota, at and near Duluth.
for the receipt and forwarding of all in
coming and outgoing freights and COM
1nodities, then I would consent that tbs
suit might be dismissed without preiu-
dice. Every lawyer, Understands that
suit so dismissed may be brought again
If the plaintiff Gin this instance the
state) should deem it for it's best inter
ests so to do, and the next Legislature,
after considering these questions, can d.
rect the suit to be revived, or, if satls-
tered into, it can approve it. An agree
ment was accordingly entered into be-
tween the state and the Northern Pa
CHIC company. This agreement speaks
to its consideration and believe that it
absolutely protects every interest of the
state as fully as. Though the sale had
not been made. With this safeguard, I
believe that the transfer will prove s'1 ben
ebCld1 TO Duluth and to all interests in
the state. 1t will surely tend to extend
Duluth,s territory and likewise that of
the Twin Cities, without ieopardizine anv
rights that the state or the public now
possess. The Milwaukee company. as
understand it, is now making arrange
ments with the Northern Pacific for
sending its cars or trains, at its option.
over the ST. Paul & Duluth road from
St. Paul to Duluth: This will, of course
prove very beneficial to Duluth.
THE contract has been legally exc
cuted. approved by the board of direct
crs Of the Northern Pacific railway, and
approved and accepted by the railroad
myself, and 1 have today filed all the
papers for record in the office of the
secretary of state"