Arizona republican., 1901-12-09
FIGHT R. R. COMBINE
Possible Federal Action Against
 RiII'S Company
The Burden Placed on the Union Pacifc-It Is Asserted That the Latter Must Give Up Burlington Interests

New York. Dec. S.-The plan of ac- tion for annullinE the Northwestern railroad deal indicates that Nebraska will be selected as the seat of war. Those who are backing the op- position declare that there will be no difficulty in showing that the Union Pacific is prohibited by the con stitution of that state from sharing il. the ownership of the Burlington. Hence. they say. the Union Pacific will have to give up its one-haif interest in the lag ter.
 Congress will be asked to appoint joint comynittee of the two houses to investigate the Northern Securities company and the entire deal leading to the formation or it. Those who are preparing to introduce legislation in a few days tell their friends that the out come will be that the entire combina- ton will topple.
 The Nebraska delegation are the most active factors in arousing oppo- sition- They are trying to arrange for legislation by congress. which either of itself will dissolve the merger or will lead to the institution of proceedings in a federal court for upsetting the Burlington end Of the scheme. The Ne braska men will be satisfied if the Burlington again becomes a competitor of Union Pacific.
 ATTACKING OTHER TWO ROADS.
 After the Union Pacific is thrown out of the combination there still remains the possibility that the Great North ern and Northern Pacific may also be precluded from controlling the Bur lington, on the ground that all of them are parallel roads. and the same ob jection would hold as in the case of the Union Pacific.
 It is therefore urged that when con- gress and the federal courts get through there will be nothing whatever left to the alliance. so far as the actual opera ton of the roads is concerned. In this case the Northern Securities company would be void. although it might con tinue to exist as a paper company.
 They declare that there is abund- ance of evidence that the Union Pa cific owns one-half of the Burlington. It can be proved by the organization of the new Burlington railway. to lease all of the Burlington railroad lines. The Union Pacific owns one-half of the stock of the new Burlington company. and the former has its representatives in the latter's directory. This arrange ment was the only condition on which the Hartman syndicate would give up their Northern Pacific stock and allow the preferred shares to be retired.
 In the fight which is to be waged against the combination it will be shown that James J. Hill and other men on his side during the controversy that led to the Northern Pacific corner. declared that the best legal evidence warranted the opinion that the Union Pacific could net, either directly or in- directly. own an interest in either the Northern Pacific or Burlington, since they are parallel roads.
 Mir Hill said that any Union Pacific stockholder could go into court and se- cure an injunction. It is believed by some that an injunction will be sought by either a Union Pacific or Burlington shareholder. Others think that the ac- ton will be taken by the attorney gen eral on the complaint of some shipper. who will seek to show that public in terests suffer from the maintenance of the combination
 Representative Stark. of Nebraska, says that legislation will be proposed by congress which will bring about the dissolution of the Northern Securities