The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1901-11-28
COMBINE OF RAILROADS
OPPOSED BY ROOSEVELT
Promoters OF Gigantic Scheme are
on Dangerous Ground in Seek
inc to Unite Trdnsp0T tatiOn Lines
and Government Control Mdu
Result.

has a strong chapter on trusts
and another on interstate COM
merce. Without attempting to
suggest the power of Legislation
the President calls the attention
of congress to the danger of the
former and the inadequacy of the
interstate commerce law. The
Presidents position on both
these questions is IN line with
the sentiment of the west and
against the attempt TO merge the
control of the great transconti-
mental railroads.
1t has not been fully determ-
ined whether the federal govern
ment will take any action against
the control of the Northern Pa
cific and Great Northern rail-
roads, by the purchase of a ma
jority of stock in each, by the
Northern Securities company or
ganized under the laws of New
Jersey. 1t is believed by attor-
neys in the department of JUS
tlce that the antitrust law could
be applied, because a practical
consolidation of the two roads 10
prevent competition would be a
violation of the federal statute in
that it would intefere with inter
state commerce.
The action of Governor Van
SAINT of Minnesota N calling a
conference of the governors OF
the states most interested is gen
orally approved by the attorneys
in the department of justice, and
it is their hope that the execu-
tive of those states will be able
to defeat this combination.
The organization of the North
ern Securities company is like
that of the American Steel cor
poration. 1t does not propose to
operate railroads, but to own the
stock in these railroads. The
contention of the organizers of
this railroad trust is that, like
the steel trust, It violates no fed
eral or state law, but the depart
ment of justice sees a great diff
ference in owning and controlling
the railroads, which are quasi
public corporations, with char
tiers from the states.
1t is known by government Of
ficials that the Northern Securi-
ties company owning all stocks
in the Northern Pacific, Great
Northern, Union Pacific and CHI
cago, Burlington & Quincy rail
roads. is only the beginning of
the scheme which Morgan and
Hill have in mind Morgan's
ambition is to control the trans
portation lines of this country,
not only the railroads but the
steamship lines. Should he be
successful in the plan 10 consoli-
date the railroads IN the north
west, he will organize other COM
panies under the laws of Ne'g
Jersey to own and control the
stock of other railroads until, as
the directing power behind ali,
he can practically control the
transportation facilities of the
United States and alse those be-
tween this country and Europe.
Those who have talked with
Morgan say that he regards him.
self as benefactor in trying to
rescue the railroad properties of
the country from ruinous compe-
tition, and that he believes such
a consolidation of railroad stock
will be beneficial to the whole
country
A close friend of President
Roosevelt, who discussed this
question with Morgan, pointed
out to him that he was taking
the greatest step that had ever
been made toward government
control of railroads.
You may be sincere, Morg-
an" said this gentleman, land
you might succeed if you were
God. But no human agency, ex-
cept the government of the Unit
States, will ever be allowed to
own and control the railroads
of the United States. There are
just two alternatives to this
question of transportatlon-com-
petition or government control.