The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1902-03-27
TO BREAK MERGER
ATTORNEY GENERAL SrRATTON
NOW IN THE EAST.
Has Been in Consultation for Several DAYS With
Attorney General Douglas Of Minnesota.
and It is Believed He Will Brine Suit
to AnnuI Combination-Ponts on Which
Minnesota Lest Case do Not Apply Here.
st. Paul, March 24.-The Pioneer Press

St. Paul, March 24.-The Pioneer Press
says:
Attorney General w. B. Stratton. Of
the state OF Washington, has been in this
city during the past week in consulta-
ton with Attorney General Douglas
and plans have been outlined for proceed.
ing against the so-called merger of the
Northern Pacific and Great Northern
railways. The plan embraces a suit
against the two railroads and the
Northern Securities Company in the
state courts of Washington. 1t is argued
that because the Northern Securities
Company ia a foreign corporation the
state courts would refuse to take iuris
diction over it, and as the decision of the
supreme court of the United States cid
that Minnesota's remedy lay in her own
courts the state was helpless to act
against the proposed merger. ATTORNEY
General Douglas, however. has come to
the conclusion that as the situation pre-.
state would be left at the mercy of a
foreign corporation, formed, as alleged
for the purpose of violating state law
the courts will take broad and liberal
view of the matter and allow the state to
present its case before them.
| AS to the proposed action in the
federal courts of Washington state that
state is not barred from the federal
courts, because none of the corporations
is a citizen of that state. The allegations
and complaint to be brought in that
state, it is said, will be identical with
those made in the United States preme
court by the state of Minnesota.
Olympia, March 23.-Attorney Gen.
eral Stratton, of this state, left Olympia
very quietly a week ago, ostensibly for
Spokane. 1t now seems certain, how
ever, he is en- route to Washington, DC,
to file an action in the United States gu
preme court, looking to the dissolution
of the merger of the Northern Pacific
and Great Northern railroad companies.
The utmost secrecy attended General
STATIONS departure, and the same state
of affairs exists here now among those
who should know, of the proceedings.
Governor Mcbride, questioned today,
will neither affirm or deny that General
Stratton intends to proceed for this state
against the merger. Both the governor
and the attorney general are known to
hold to the view that the question of
jurisdiction upon which the United States
supreme court ruled against the state of
Minnesota, will not apply in the case of
an action brought on behalf of this state.
Governor Mcbride, as lawyer, has made
careful study of the United States SUI
preme courts opinion in the Minnesota
case, and should Attorney General STRAIT.
ton file complaint for Washington, it
will be found that it will avoid the OBJ
jectionable features of the former case.
1t is said that Attorney General Stratton
has been in conference since leaving here
with Attorney General Douglas, of Min
nesota, and the attorney general of Mon
tana, and that he will have the active
cooperation of the law departments of
both those states in the latest fight
against the Northern Securities Com.
PAW.