The Irish standard., 1902-01-11
MINNEsOTA's FIGHT.
Presents to United States Supreme
Court Her Complaint Against
the Railway Merger.

eral wallace Is. douglas, OF Minnesota,
filed Tuesday in the United States SUI
preme court the bill of complaint in
the case of the state of Minnesota,
complainant, against the Northern Sc
curities company, defendant. 1t is a
long document, about 10000 words,
covering 80 pages of printed matter.
The bill first points out the direct in
terest the state has in the proposed
consolidation. 1t still owns more than
100000 acres of public land valued at
more than $15,oOO,OOO and traversed in
part by the lines of the Great North
ern and Northern Pacific. If the
merger is effected these roads will
cease to build spurs into these lands
or compete for their business. The
value of the lands will not increase
as it has under the spur of COMPETE
tion and the state will lose in the tax
able value of its property. The lands
will not be opened for years and de-
| velopment will be arrested.
Taking up the Northern Securities
company it is set forth that it was Or
ganized by J. J. Hill. w. P. Clough,
j. Pierpopt Morgan and "other assoc
ciates to the oral rix unknown" who
at the time were continually in con-
ference over means by which the laws
Of Minnesota mi ght be successfully
evaded or avoided, and that it was
so organized solely for the purpose of
effecting consolidation of the Great
Northern and Northern Pacific.
In furtherance of the plan to evade
the laws of Minnesota it was agreed
that pending the delivery of the
stock to the Northern Securities
company it should all be turned
over to James ]. Hill or be under
his control. The Northern Securi-
ties company, it is charged, does not
intend to purchase this stock, but
simply to issue its own stock in ex-
change therefor. For these unlawful
purposes the company is about to
receive, unles enjoined therefrom, all
the capital stock of the Great North
ern and Northern Pacific. This, it is
claimed is part of plan of Hill,
Morgan and their associates, where
by the two systems are to be consol-
idated and placed under the direc-
ton of one man or board of direc-
tors, through the defendant COM
pany, and thus bring about and per-
petuate monopoly in railway traffic
in Minnesota and complete consol-
idation of the two systems.
1t is alleged that it is the settled
policy of New Jersey to allow the
consolidation of only such railroads
as are or can be connected to form
continuous lines and not to permit
the consolidation of parallel or COM
peting lines. The oratrix, claiming
to have no other adequate remedy or
relief. except as prayed for in equity.
asks that the defendant be required
to show cause why it should not be
perpetually enjoined and restrained
First-From voting at any meeting of the
stockholders of the Great Northern and
Northern Pacific the capital of these COM
panies and from attending in any manner
such meetings.
Second-From aiding. advising, interfer.
ing with, or in any way participating in
the management of the two systems.
Third-From permitting any of its Off
GERS, agents OF servants from acting as
| representative director, officer or employee,
or exercising any control, management or
direction over the same.
Fourth-From making any arrangements
or combinations having for their object
such joint control.
Fifth-From holding, owning or control-
ing any of the stock of either company,
the defendant company being required to
reassign or re-transfer all such stock to
the person from whom it was received.
taking in return its own stock issued in
exchange therefor, and meanwhile to be en-
Joined in all respects in relation to said
stock as herein before prayed for.
| Sixth-From receiving any more stock
of the two companies in case it shall APP
pear that the defendant company has not
yet acquired controlling interest in either.
Seventh-The oratrix prays permission TO
amend the complaint If necessary, and
bring in other parties, for the purpose OF
| giving force and effect to any decree of the
court, and asks the court to issue a sub.
poena against the defendant company and
| set day for the hea ring