The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-02-01
The Governor Said to Have Already
Accomplished More Than He
Probably Realizes.
Railroads Getting Control Of Demo
cratic Organization Van SAINTS
Reelection Predicted.

f=
A well-informed observer of passingi
events, speaking to-day of the progress
of the state in its action to prevent the
contamination Of the railroad merger,
said:
'The railroad merger, as originally
planned. is beaten now. And that is true
whether the supreme court takes juris-
diction in the Minnesota case or not"
Governor Van SAINT has accomplished
more than he probably realizes. If he
had kept still and had not declared his
purpose TO resist the consolidation of the
Great Northern and the Northern Pacific
at the time that he did, that result would
have been accomplished by this time.
There would have been one man in abb
solute control; there would have been one
set of agencies in the different towns,
and the Northern Pacific would have been
tight and fast in Mr.. Hills grasp. But,
you see, that has not happened and do
not believe it ever will. The effect of the
action of the state has been to destroy
public confidence in the scheme in a
great measure, check it's operations, and
SO embarrass the men who are playing the
game that they cannot go on with it,
and as long as the state has resources
and the courts, to fall back upon, and it
has not begun to exhaust its powers in
that direction, this scheme will practi-
cally proceed no further than it has.
The business public will not touch it.; the
investment world will have nothing to
dc. with it's and the scheme is at q stand
still. FuI shermore, the longer it remains
| in it's present situation the more certain
! it is to go to pieces Of its own weight
These big men who are playing this game
and ostensibly working in harmony, are
really rivals of each other; Jealous OF
each others prestige and success, anc
| enjoy nothing more than getting the adj
1 vantage of each other. Their present re-
lations have not changed their natures
1t is not more money that they want
They have got more now than they cal
grasp or comprehend from the sense o
mere possession of money. 1t Is poWe
and personal prestige and winning Owe
each other in this great game that make
life worth living to them. And withou
such compact organization as the North
ern Securities company, which Mr.. Hill
! planned, and about which the other me-
are comparatively Indifferent, harmon
of action cannot be expected to continu
very long. In Mr.. Hills case 1 do no
think it is the possession of money tina
influenced him. He has already, in hi
public statements and speeches, declare
that he could have closed out with
: profit of many millions. if he had chose
to do so. But it has been the dream {
his life to control the Northern Pacif
railroad, and that is what he is workin
= for. He thought that along with 1t
: would demonstrate to his associates an
f rivals down in New York that he was tt
S most popular man in the northwest. +
would show them that the people out tn
: way would say: It's all right; Mr.. Hi
l., can have full control of the railroad sit'
f alton in the northwest. if he wants II
= and when he finds that the people do n
feel that way, he suffers bitter disa]
pointment 1t wounds his pride and
E certainly the deepest source Of grief
: him in the whole business.
= Ivan SAINT has only to keep his head,
steadily on his declared purpose Of e.
S hausting all the resources at his con
o mand for the enforcement Of the la
. and he will win. You know when ms
is disposed to do the right thing al
r starts out. on that line of policy he
. pretty sure to win out. He may fumb
:, | the ball once in a while and make mi
S takes that for the time are embarrass11
and subject him to criticism, but he
= only to adhere to his purpose and
b will surely win in the end. I think VI
d SAINT is on that track. think he n
proven himself honest In the work
, has undertaken. OF course, it is to b
: advantage politically, but that is only
t mere incident He is fully entitled to {
= he gets out of it. But he had to unde
: take a great public duty and is not to
: criticized because there may be polite
: advantage in it for him. Why, Mr.. Lii
would have jumped at the opportuni
that has come to Governor Van SAINT.
'.And speaking Of the political aspect
the situation in this state. my observ
ton satisfied me that the railroads a
getting control Of the democratic Q
: SANITATION through certain people W
y stand in a peculiar relation to both RAJ
h roads and party management. My
n tion is that they are not going to
), tempt to prevent Van SAINTS renomin
y ton, but: they are going to induce Jo
Q Lind, If they can, to become their cane
= date against him and try and defeat n
Z at thet polls But they will never su
r coed, in my Judgment. In the first piat
Mr.. Lind is not going to get Into
game unless he sees a chance to win. q.
n he is not as smart politician as
g think he is IL he Is beguiled into any
q tion that tho nooule of this state are =