The Minneapolis journal., 1902-07-01

gross earnings system considerably less was
received from the railroad companies than
would be received if their properties were
subjected to direct taxation. =
I urge the people OF our state to carefully
and fairly consider the question presented.
which is, shall the railroad companies of our
state pay, in lieu Of direct taxation. per cent
of their gross earnings instead of per cent,
as provided in the existing laws.
The modern tendency is that revenues
should be raised for state otherwise than by
direct levy on real estate and personal prop
erty. If these amendments carry a long step
in that direction might be taken. 1t would
then be possible to place upon our statute
books many tax measures Of vast benefit to
the people. The matter Is of so much i'm
portance to the welfare of the state that I
urge every voter to bear in mind
on election day the obligation Of voting for
the proposed amendments.
Reverting then to his famous anti
merger fight he said:
The Merger Fight.
I will not close without calling your atten-
tion to a question OF the greatest Importance,
the threatened consolidation of the Northern
Pacific and Great Northern. To this end the
NorthssR Securities company of New Jersey
was orga Hased to acquire controlling amount
of the stock in exchange for its own stock,
and 1t was through this company that the
unity Of management was to be effected
The matter was deemed of such vital impor-
tance that immediate action was taken to-
prevent the consolidation of these companies.
With that object in view, ATTORNEY General
Douglas was requested to; bring suit in the
name of the state. That such consolidation
is against the law lis shown by reference to
our statutes. The. best interests Of our people
not only require but demand free. open and
unrestricted competition for the transporta-
tion Of the products of our farms, factories,
mills and mines. 1t was with this idea in
view that legislature years ago passed
laws prohibiting in any way the consolidation
of parallel and competing lines of railway
within our state. These laws have not only
been held to be constitutional by the supreme
court of the United States, but they also de-
clare a wise public policy. The determination
to bring this suit was not entered into with
any spirit of hostility toward railroad compa-
nies Our state has dealt literally with them
and has decided to the various railroad compa-
MES moro than 10,500, 900 acres of land or
more than is under cultivation 'ty our entire
agricultural population. In view of this and
many other privileges, it is but just to de-
mand that these Companies should obey our
laws. Minnesota granted these lands and
privileges to secure the blessings of competi-
ton; IN fact, the franchises of those parallel
implied understanding that they would be op-
Grated Independently. The area of the United
States, including Alaska, is about 1900, 900
square miles. The area of the states trav-
ersed by the Northern Pacific and Great
Northern Is about 100000 square miles, or one
fifth the area of the United States. 1T Is only
necessary to study these figures to see the
great importance of this question. .Undoubt-
edly very large portion of the commerce of
the world will be transferred from the ATTAIN
tic to the Pacific ocean. The trade of the
orient is in it's infancy. The possibilities can
scarcely be estimated. I believe that that
section Of the globe will Oe supplied from
the products of the northwest: in fact, we
have begun to reap the tenefts of the far
eastern trade as market! for our surplus
wheat and -four. This question was deemed
of SO much Importance to the entire north
west, and realizing that the fight would be
one Of gigantic proportions and that our state
would need all the help that could be secured
a conference of governors and attorneys gen
eral was called to meet at Helena, Mont
The result of that conference was harmony
throughout, and resolutions were unanimously
passed in opposition to said threatened con-
solidation, and promising support IN our en-
deavors to prevent it. All realized that the
destruction of competition that had so bene-
ited these states in the past would be most
Injurious. - i - ~ =
rIl6 supreme COuTL ul LIE OullSu 'OIdISS lOl
certain reasons refused Jurisdiction in the
case brought by thu state of Minnesota, -hui
this did not discourage the attorney general
and his associate counsel, and suit was com
menced in the state courts. 5r
do not believe that corporation organized
in New. Jersey can be lawfully used to violate
the laws of the sovereign state of Minnesota
and thwart the will of the people 80 plainly
expressed in her statutes. "a
Owing to objections not involving the mer-
it's, our state was not SO fortunate in the
supreme court as was the state of Washing
ton; that state has, case now pending similar
to ours in the United States supreme court
and Attorney, General Douglas has been re-
tained as associate counsel.
|, The attempt of the Northern Securities com
| pany to control these properties is not only
in violation of the laws of this state and the
other states lin which they operate, but the
United States as well ttorney General Knox
is quoted as saying: