The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1902-07-10
amendment of any law or law.


be hereafter organized, shall, in hs~ -
all. other taxes and assessments uDS4
their real estate. roads. rolling stock a44
the treasury a of p this State a certain p.ss
centage therein mentioned of the gross
earnings of such railroad companies
effect and be in force. be submitted
to a vote of the people of the state ana
pc adopted and ratified by majority or
the electors Of the state voting at the,
election at which the same shall be SUBJ
mitted to- them D..
Under existing laws the railroad COM
treasury. in lieu Of direct taxes, per
cent of their gross earnings. After thor
ough discussion and mature deliberatioR
ferred to. which provides that the exist
ing law shall be SO amended that the rail-
road companies of this state shall pay
taxation 4 per cent of their gross earn.
ings instead of 3 per cent as now sx-
acted.
The reason for the enactment was the
belief that the railroad companies under
the 3 per cent gross earnings law were
not paying their fair share toward the
maintenance of the state; in other words,
that under the gross earnings system con-
siderably less was received from the rail-
road companies than would be received, II
taxation.
l urge the people of our state to care
fully and fairly consider the question
=
companies of our state pay, in lieu Of d.
earnings instead Of 8 per cent, as pro-
Vided in the existing laws.
The modern tendency is that revenues
should be raised for the state otherwise
than by, direct levy on real estate and;
carry a long step in that direction might
be taken. 1t would then be possible to.
place upon our statute books many taxt
measures of vast benefit to the people.
The matter is of so much Importance to.
the welfare of the state that l earnestly
urge every voter to bear in mind on cleo
ton day the obligation of voting for the
proposed amendments.
l will not close without calling your at
tention to a question of the very greatest
Importance to the people of our state. I
refer to the threatened consolidation OF
the Northern Pacific and Great Northern
Railway companies. To this end the
Northern Securities company of New Jer-
sey was organized to acquire a control
ling amount of the stock of said railroad
companies in exchange for it's own stock.
and it was through this company that
the unity of management was to be ef-
fected.
The matter was deemed of such vital
Importance that immediate action waS
to Ra thst
view Attorney General Douglas was re-
quested to bring suit in the name of the
state to prevent the proposed consolida.
ton. That such consolidation is against
the law is shown by reference to our
statutes (See sections PIG, 271D. The
best interests of our people not only re-
restricted competition for the transporta-
ton of the products of our farms, fac
tories, mills and mines. 1t was with this
idea in view that our legislature years
ago passed laws prohibiting in any way
the consolidation of parallel and COM
peting lines of railway within our state
constitutional by the supreme court OF
the United States, but they also declare
wise public policy The Determinations
to bring this suit was not entered into
with any spirit of hostility toward rail-!
road companies. Our state has dealt
literally with them and has decided to the
various railroad companies more than
1O,5O0,OOO acres of land, or more than 70
under cultivation by our entire agricnl-
tural population. In view of this and
many other privileges it is but just to
demand that these companies should obey
our laws. Minnesota granted these lande
and privileges to secure the blessings cf
competition; in fact. the franchises OK
these parallel and competing lines were
obtained upon the implied understanding
that they would be operated independents
ly. The area of the United States, In
miles. The area of the states traversea
by the Northern Pacific and Great North
ern railroads is about 100000 square
miles, or one-fifth the area of the Unite4
States. 1t is only necessary to study
these figures to see the great Importance
of this question. Undoubtedly very
large portion of the commerce OF the
world will be transferred from the AT.
lantic to the Pacific ocean. The trade Of
the Orient is in it's infancy. The possibtli-
ties can scarcely be estimated. l believe
that that section of the globe Will pc sup
piled from the products of the Northwest:
in fact, we have begun to reap the ben
efits of the Far Eastern trade as mar
ket for our surplus wheat and -four. This
question was deemed of so much import
ance to the entire Northwest, and realiz-
ing that the fight would be one of gigantic
proportions and that our state would need
all the help that could be secured a con-
ference of governors and attorneys gen
eral was called to meet at Helena, Mont.
| The result of that conference was. haf-
mony throughout. and resolutions wer s
threatened consolidation, and promising
support in our endeavors to prevent IT,
All realized that the destruction OF COM
petition that had so benefited these states
in the past would be most injurious
The supreme court of the United States
/ for certain reasons refused jurisdiction IN
the case brought by the State OF MIME
sofa but this did not discourage the At
torney General and his associate counsel
and suit was commenced in the state
courts. ..
1 do not believe that a corporation or
ganiZed in New Jersey can be lawfully
used to violate the laws of the sovereign
State of Minnesota and thwart the Will
of the people SO plainly expressed In her
statutes
Owing to objections not involving the
merits, our state was not SO fortunate IN
the supreme court as was the state OF
Washington: that state has case now
pending similar to ours, in the limited
States supreme court, and Attorney Gen
eral Douglas has been retained as aSSo-
ciate counsel.
The attempt of the Northern Securities
company to control these properties is
not only in violation of the laws Of this
state and the other states in which they
| operate but the United States as well.
Attorney General Knox is aaeted as say
| ing;
Some time ago the president request
ed an opinion as to the legality of this
measure, and 1 have recently given him
one to the effect that in my judg nent il
violates the provisions of the Sherman
suitable action should be brought to have
/ the question finally judicially decided"
l congratulate the people of our, state,
| of the Northwest and OF the entire coun-
| try, upon the fact that we have in the
presidential chair man who fearlessly Is
endeavoring to execute the laws. He is
as brave in peace as he was heroic In
should pledge him our active and earnest
support
| It is our determination to press this
action until finally decided by the court
4 of highest jurisdiction, the supreme court
of the United States
| In conclusion take pleasure in stating
| that every state officer. and every depart
mentSof the state government, has rem
| dered me most valuable aid during the
past two years. and whatever success has
attended this administration is due large
| ly to their loyal support and efficient
| help.
On,r stare is tn he congrafulated tos