The Minneapolis journal., 1901-12-31
PREL1M1NARIEs ACCOMPLISHED
Opening Statement to the Conference
by Gov. Van SAINT.

by Gov. Van SAINT.
Helena, Mont, Dec. 31.-No action was
taken yesterday at the meeting of the
governors and attorney generals Of the
northwestern states called to consider
plans for opposing the proposed console
dation of the Northern Pacific, Great
Northern and Burlington railway sys-
TENS.
From the discussion, however, it is con-
sidered probable that the plan of Gov
ernor Van SAINT of Minnesota will be in
dorsed by the executives of other states
and that the fight against the railroad
consolidation will be carried to a finish.
Welcomed by TooIe.
The afternoonzmeeting was largely in
formal in nature. Governor Toole ex-
| tended the formal welcome Of the state.
speaking of the practical value of the
opportunity to confer upon the import ant
questions before the conference, irrespec-
tive OF the decision to be reached. Said
he:
l wish to thank you for your presence, and
beg to assure you that Montana feels highly
complimented by the selection of this. state
and its capital city as the place Of your con-
ference. From the time of the sermon on the
| mount to the present day, 1t has been deemed
appropriate that all great undertakings should
be initiated at some elevated and conspicuous
| worthy precedents, Governor Van SAINT select
| ed this little oity. Resting on the throne Of
the rocks, in robe of clouds, with a dia-
dem of SHOWS, as a fitting and proper place
for so important gathering. At all events,
we give you cordial welcome, and whether
our conference portends much or little, wis
| dom or folly, it will be source of pleasure
and profit, | trust, to know each other better
and exchange views upon important subjects,
which bring us together, in which as neigh
boring commonwealths and citizens of this
country have mutual and abiding inter-
| est.
Remembered, Though Absent.
| Calling attention to the absence of
| Governor Frank White of North Dakota,
! Governor Van SAINT read this telegram:
| Bismarck, Dec. 28.-I regret that mat
| ters have arisen rendering it impossible
| for me to attend the Helena meeting"
Governor Van SAINT then read the fol-
lowing telegram: bismarck Dec. 81
1 will be present with at ttorney general of
the state at time and place indicated in
| your letter"
| Concluding, he read Governor Whites
| letter to him, written Nov. 26, when he
| expressed the hope that Governor Van
| SAINT would succeed in his effort to down
| the consolidation, and added that the peo-
| pie OF North Dakota were with him.
! The meeting was organized by the cleo
] tion OF Governor Van SAINT as chairman
| and Attorney General Martin Of Idaho a.
! secretary. The governor made a BRIEF
speech in regard to the objects of the
meeting, giving history of the proposed
| railway consolidation and the effect ha
believed 1t would have on the states az
| fected. He said:
The state of Minnesota has had on her
nj for
| laws prohibiting the consolidation in any way
| Of parallel and competing lines of railways
| 1t has been the settled policy of our state to
maintain free, open and unrestricted COM
petition In freight and passenger rates, The
Great Northern and Northern Pacific rail-
way companies operate parallel and COM
! peting lines Of railway within the state
These practically the only roads which
furnish any transportation facilities to the
northern half ON the state, with the excep-
ton of the two known an the Iron ore roads -
1t has been recently announced that Mr..
Hill and his assistants have obtained the
control Of the Northern Pacific railway COM
pany and intend to operate the same Jointly
with the Great Northern, and in effect bring
about consolidation by removing ell COM
petition and all rivalry between these roads.
To th@ end the Northern Securities company
was organized in New Jersey to acquire q
controlling amount of the stock of the Great
pany in exchange for its own stock, and 1t IL
through this company that the unity OF man
agement Of control is to be effected.
Feels the obligation.
AS soon as this fact became known to me
felt it my duty as governor to do every
| thing in my official power to oppose the con-
solidation or amalgamation of these proper
ties within the state OF Minnesota If there
is such a consolidation contemplated, and
that fact seems to be practically conceded, it
is an open violation of the law as we'll as
the declared public policy Of the state OF Min
nesota, and feel that l should be negligens
OF my duties as the official head of the state
if l remained quiescent under such circum-
stances.
l have been informed that the states which
you gentlemen represent as governors and
attorneys general have constitutional or stat
ute laws similar in effect to those Of the
state Of Minnesota, and there was question
in which our state not alone interested
Acting upon this belief l took the liberty Of
asking for this conference of governors and
attorneys general Of the various states
through which these two roads pass, believing
that all such states were equally interested