The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-01-07
Asks the S. Supreme Court to
Enioin the Northern Securi-
ties Merger.
The Court Takes His Petition Under
Consideration Synopsis Of
It's Contents.

From, The Journal Bureau, Room, Is, Post
building, Washi'sgtos.
Washington, Jan. AT noon to-day
there was rap with mallet on the table
Of the supreme court and everybody in
the court rose out of respect to the nine
judges, who slowly filed in and took their
places at the long bench where they pre-
side.
AS soon as he had taken his seat Chief
Justice Fuller said: care there any ap-
plications for permission to practice be-
fore this court?" whereupon Attorney
General Douglas of Minnesota arose and
addressing the court, said he desired to
move the admission of George P. Wilson,
member of the Minnesota bar. The mo-
ton was grant ed and General Wilson was
directed by the court to step to the clerk s
desk, where the customary oath was ad-
ministered. During the administering of
the oath the business of the court was
interrupted, but Immediately upon the COM
pletion of this formality the chief justice
said, Are there any motions?"
Mr.. Douglas was again on his feet and
III.
the name of the state of Minnesota, to file
a<complaint before the court against the
Northern Securities company.
Have you given notice. of your pur-
pose to make this request?" asked the
chief justice.
II have not" was the reply, ''but !
looked the matter up carefully, and was
advised that formal notice was not neces-
sary.'
|:S'sssssssss nderfAdvisement..
The chief Justice, after a. moments
pause: well, strictly speaking, the no
tice is not necessary, and unless there
is objection Cooking around on both sides
| towards the associated just1ces) the re-
quest of the attorney general Of the state
| of Minnesota will be taken under advise
ment.''
That was all there was of it. It was
all over in less than two minutes. Go.
| ing from the supreme court room to the
! clerks office, Mr.. Douglas left the requi.
site number Of copies of his complaint
| and that was all there was to do.
The admission Of General Wilson tt
practice before the supreme court was {
| necessary formality, for otherwise, he
| could not appear as associate counsel will
Mr.. Douglas. Wilson and Mum will re.
turn to Minnesota this week. Dougla.
| will remain here until the supreme cour
has decided to grant the permission fol
which he asked today, to file suit agains
the Northern Securities company. Thi!
decision will be announced on some Mon.
day in the near future, Monday being de-
cision day. It may be next week, it ma,
be the week after. it may even be late.
than that
| Will Strive for Early Decision.
/ Douglas knows Chief Justice Fuller YER
well and will use his acquaintance so ia
as possible in trying to prevail on tn
court to decide the matter in the shortes
| time. He will urge as the reason tn
| great interest Of the people Of half dozel
states in the case, and the fact that ever
consideration calls for the early settle
ment Of the controversy
| Strangely enough, there was no opposi
ton when Attorney General Douglas mad
| his request for permission to begin suit
It had been limited that counsel represent
ing the Northern Securities compan
might appear for the purpose of protest
ing, but II anybody was present on behal
the the merger, he said nothing.
| When Chief Justice Fuller asked MI
Douglas if notice had been given tina
the request Mr.. Douglas had just voice,
was to be made, there was an unconsciou
| turning of heads right and left to see
anybody present was preparing to TAX
! advantage of the opening the justice ha,
unwitt1ngly made; but If merger lawyer
were in court, they held their peace. I
was In anticipation Of some sort of oppo
siton that caused General Wilson to com
| to Washington with Mr.. Douglas TIL
latter was in Montana when the Pete
| Power Injunction suit was brought befor
Judges Elliott and Lochren in Minneapolis
and was unfamiliar with several phases o
| the case that had presented themselve
during the Helena conference. Genera
! Wilson had kept close watch Of these de
developments and since 1t has been reporte,
! that the threatened opposition might b.
based on the Peter Power incident, it wa
thought wise to have present in the su
preme court the associate, counsel VIII
could explain that incident. Mr.. Mum
! came over from New York, where he ha,
been for weeks looking up the eastern en-,
| Of the case. Had any opposition beel
made to-day, the state would therefor,
| have been in position to meet it intelli
gently and promptly. This explains VIII.
the three gentlemen were on hand to-da.
for the seemingly small matter of asking
permission to begin suit.
Presidents Interest Keen.
President Roosevelt is taking the live.
Hest kind OF interest in the case. Yes
terday he had an interview with Mr.
Mum, who was introduced by Governor
Merriam. At its close he wrote with his
own hand note to Attorney General
Knox which he gave to Mr.. Mum, intro
ducing him. and asking the attorney gem
eral to talk freely to him. and give him
all the assistance possible.
81 am deeply interested in this case, =
the president said in closing the note.
| Thursday at o'clock Messrs. Douglas
and Wilson are to see the president by
l appointment, made to-day for the purpose
| of laying the case before him more fully
i than Mr.. Mum had time to do.
The question that will confront the ~.