Gilpin observer., 1902-01-02
GOVERNORSCONFER
FIVE STATES REPRESENTED AT
:. HELENA MEETING.

E:rst Cay cevot.i to General pIs-
euesien of Plane to Fight Railway
Merger tt. Mo Aetcn :s Taken.
Van eart rreoides.
Helena. Mon, Dec. 31.-No action
nas tcltcc yesterday at the meeting
OF the governors and attorney generals
CT the northwest states called to con-
siGer plans for opposing the proposed
consolidation of the Northern Pacific,
Great Northern and Burlington rail-
way systems. From the discussion at
TIE meeting, however, it is considered
rro5aale tlst the plan of Governor
Van salt cs Minnesota will be in
Gcrsed By the executives of the other
states who were present and that the
fight against the railroad consolidation
will be carried to a finish. WHAT this
plan is, Governor Van Sent refused
10 state until the meeting today shall
Lave taken action. The rzeetingE
were held in Governor Toole's private
cfioe, and behind closed doors. There
were present besides Governor Toole
and Attorney General Donovan of Mon
taEe, Governor Van Salt and Attorney
General Douglass of Minnesota, Gov
eIror Eerre!d and Attorney General
Pyle of South Dakota, Governor Hunt
md Attorney General Martin of Idaho
and Attorney General Stratton of
Washington, Governor Mcbride of that
ctate not being able to be present on
Sc -ount Of the death Of Governor Rog-
ers. Governor White of North Dakota
WAS also expected to attend the con-
ference. ard in fact had te,egrap phed
Governor Van SAINT that he would be
present. II q later telegram, how
ever, he stated that it was impossible
fer him to attend the meetings.
The meeting was organized by the
election OF Governor Van SAINT as
tin Of Idaho as secretary. Governor
Van SAINT made a brief speech in re-
card % the objects of the meeting
| giving brief history of the proposed
| railway combination and the effect he
believed it would have on the states
e.ected.
THE state OF Minnesota" said the
| governor. has had on her statute
! books for more than 25 years laws
! prohibiting the consolidation in any
way of parallel and competing lines
OF railway. 1t has been the settled
/ policy of our state to maintain free,
open and Unrestricted competition in
freight and passenger rates. The
, Great Northern and Northern Pacific
Hallway companies operate parallel
Gnd competing lines Of railway within
the state 1t has been announced
/ that Mr.. Fill and his assistants have
obtained the control Of the Northern
/ Pacific Railway company and intend
to operate the same jointly with the
Great NCrthera.s and, IN effect, bring
about, a. consolidation by removing all
competition and I'll riy-,ry between
these roads. To this end the North
e-r Securities company was organized
in New Jersey to acquire controlling
amount Of the stock of the Grea,
Northern and Northern Pacific Rail.
rc-d companies in exchange for ite
own stock ana it is through the COM
rany that the unity OF management
and control Is to be effected. AS soon
cs this fact became known to me, l
felt 1t my duty as governor to do
everything In my official power to op.
rose the consolidation OF these proper
ties within the state of Minnesota. l
have been informed that the states
which you gentlemen represent as
governors and attorneys general have
statute laws similar to those of the
state OF Minnesota and that this was
q question in which our state was not
alone interested. Acting upon this
belief, took the liberty of asking
for this conference of governors and
attorneys general Of the various states
through which these two roads pass
believing that all such states were
equally interested in maintaining the
principle heretofore asserted in the
state OF Minnesota and reasserted here
In ite objection TO thia consOlid tiou y