Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1903-04-16
SECURITIES COMPANY TO GO TO
THE SUPREME COURT.
SHOULD WELCOME RESULT
Says United States Attorney Who Ar
gued case-Thinks Decision of
Court of Appeals Leaves Nothing
More to be Desired in Matter of
Full Exposition of the Law.

st. Paul, April 1.-THE United
States court of appeals having decided
the suit of the United States against
the Northern Securities company in
favor of the government, the next
step to be taken by the defendants
will be to file an application for leave
to appeal to the supreme court of the
United States.
Permission to appeal having been
obtained, the defendants will at once
file it with the clerk of the supreme
court and apply for a date for hearing
of arguments. No testimony will be
taken; all ,hat will be done will be
the presentation of arguments by
counsel representing both sides and
the case will then rest with the court
for decision.
Scope of Decision.
Philadelphia, April Thames M.
Beck, assistant attorney general, who
argued the Northern Securities case,
when questioned yesterday as to the
scope of the decision, said that it
seemed TO him it leaves nothing to be
desired in the matter of full exposi-
ton of federal law applicable to the
consolidation of competing interstate
carriers. "All interests should wei.
come such result" says Beck. for il
seems TO me of the first Importance
that the exact meaning of the existing
statutory law should be definitely as
certained When so ascertained the
question of the wisdom OF the statutes
can be fairly debated in the greater
court OF public opinion. The decision
OF the circuit court aecomplishes this
purpose. 1t destroyed the last Legal
device for the suppression of competl,
ION, and shuts the whole question
from the courts to the people, and
leaves for their consideration and III
innate decision the question whether
railway consolidation under proper
regulation is desirable, or whether it
shoull be altogether prohibited The
wild suggestion that this decision is
revolutionary and will disrupt the
American railway system is absurd.
1t simply reafiirms existing principles
and has no application whatever 10
legitimate extensions of railway lines,
but solely applies TO the suppression of
competition by railway consolidation.
Beck considers the most important
part of the decision was that which
holds that the purchase of stock in
the interstate railway subjects the
purchaser to the constitutional power
of the federal government. The de-
PENDANTS contended that the mere ac-
QUESTION of such shares had either no
direct relations to interstate com.
merce, or mat, in any event, such re-
lation was indirect, collateral and re-
mote.
Lamont's Views.
New York, April 11.--Daniel 5. La.
mont, director of the Northern Sc.
curities company and vice president
of the Northern Pacific, said yester.
day that as long as the railroads
affected by the decision in the North
crn Securities case had never lost
their identity, even IL the decision
We're made final by the court, little
difference would result.
THE same men who own and control
the Northern Securities own and con
troll the Northern Pacific, Chicago, Bur-
lington & Quincy and Great Northern.
What's the difference? The North
ern Securities company simply made
II easier for these men to run the
roads"