The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-11-22
WIDELY DISCUSSED
Van SAINTS Stand Attracts Much
Attention.
Opinion Divided as to Whether State
or Nation Can Reach the
Difficulty.
Minneapolis Journal {:

Samuel r. Van SAINT has his fighting
clothes ON.
The governor of Minnesota likes 6
fight. He was a good soldier when il
took physical courage. Since he lai6
aside Uncle Sans blue he has beer
in a good many bloodless battles of the
kind that try a mans nerve. He has
never been a gutter. He may be
good natured and slow to wrath, but
when once aroused he is hard to stop,
Governor Van SAINT is thoroughly
aroused over the present crisis. He il
not blufing, his friends say. he is
going to fight, and fight to a finish.
He will not rslent in his crusade
against the self constituted lords Of
the western railway world until every
expedient has been employed to BLOCK
their game.
The courts are to be tried first. II
there is any possible way to prevent
the Northern Securities company from
violating the spirit of the Minnesots
laws, it will be done.
Word has been sent to Attorney Gen
eral Douglas, now hunting in Cool
county, asking him to return as soor
as possible. Said the governor this
morning:
81 hope the attorney general will re-
turn soon and take up the considera
tion of this matter I shall advise hin
to associate with him the best lega
talent to be found in Minnesota, or il
the United States if necessary. These
railroad owners have had the benefit
of the best legal advice and the people
are entitled to as good +"
Beyond this the governor would no
talk.
He is not saying much just now
1t is intimated, however, that if the
courts are inadequate to stop the deal
the governor will 90 ahead with othel
plans. He has an idea that as COVER.
nor of the state, it is his duty to Lead
public sentiment There is a tremen
dous popular feeling against trusts il
general, shared in by business men a
well as consumers. Business men ant
producers make railroad business. 1
only needs head to marshal thes
forces in opposition to the railroad
trust and make the combination fee
the state of the public mind.
Governor Van SAINT may be tina
head. He is stirred up over the pros
pect of a railroad combine controlling
rates and markets for the northwest
and he will go to any lawful length t.
balk it. The combine exists withou
capital. 1t exists for the purpose o
owning stock. If it refuses to heed the
voice of the people in one way, it ma,
in another. The governors attitud,
has already hurt the new enterpris
UNNECESSARILY.
1t was war, and war to finish
The railroad and war ehouse com
mission is the proper body to move il
this matter. So far its members hav,
done nothing but discuss the question
informally. Chairman Mills said thi.
morning that the question was being
carefully inquired into. "There are q
great many things to be considered, y
he said, "before we act in this matter
If there is any remedy, we will en-.
ploy it.
Should the state win, and prevent
the contamination of the deal, another
action will have to be brought against
the United States Steel Co., which
owns the Duluth & Iron Range and the
Duluth, Missabe & Northern. Exactly
the same conditions exist here, the
stock of the two roads being held by a
foreign corporation. State Auditor
Dunn. who is the avenging Nemesis of
these roads said this morning that in
his opinion it was even more import
ant to knock out their consolidation
than that of the others.
Judge Robert Jamison, the COVER
nor's private secretary, was away
when the governor reached the concln-
sion to fight Since his return yester-
day he has declared himself hugely de-
lighted with the governors stand. He
feels that it is the only course proper
to pursue
In trying to block the merger, Gov
ernor Van SAINT will have the sympathy
and moral support of many stock
holders of the smaller railway systems,
such as the 500 and the Great West
ern. The North Western and Milwau-
kee are not in the merger, but are con
trolled by the same general intrests. but
the smaller lines fear the progress If
octopus and will welcome the de-
liverer.
Governor Van SAINTS attack on the
giant merger of western railways has
walked the echoes from ocean to ocean.
The sensational ann ouncement has