Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-10
Mr.. KNOX RET|CENT
Not Inclined to Discuss Mer-
ger Case.
BIG VICTORY FOR HIM
INTERVIEW WITH J. PIERPONT
MORGAN.
He Thinks the United States Supreme
Court Will Reverse the
Decision.
BIG VICTORY FOR HIM

Attorney General Knox with character
istic modesty and a strict sense of pro-
fessional etiquette declined to discuss to-
day the governments victory in the North
ern Securities merger case. He did not
think it necessary or proper TO give an
opinion for publication. He was OF course
glad that the government had won the
case and accepted best he could the con-
gratulations that poured in upon him from
SO many directions. His fellow cabinet Of
ficers and prominent men all over the coun-
try wrote and telegraphed congratulations
to him. The opinion in official circles is
that Mr.. Knox is today the most talked OF
man in the country, and that he has won
for the administration victory that will
immensely strengthen 1t with the country.
Mr.. Knox is not stopping with the case
he has begun. He is working right along
on others. saying nothing of his plans and
PURPOSES but making every arrangement
to attempt to carry into effect all the leg
islation on the statute books Teiating 10 1, MI
lawful combinations of trade. Inat MI.
Knox Is busily engaged in looking over the
lists of unlawful combinations and CONFER
ring with his assistants as to the pest plans
to assault these institutions Is not denleo'
but no one knows what his step will be or
who 1t will be against.
Chances in the Supreme Court
Unless there is very great expedition In
bringing the merger case to the United
States Supreme Court, and also In Its con-
sideration thereafter, the Supreme Court
will not pass on the case during the pres
ent term. The court will adjourn finally
the latter part of May, and not convene
again until next October. OF the remaining
time of this term only the next three weeks
will be devoted to argument, as the call OF
the docket will be suspended Friday, May
l. 1t is considered impossible that the
papers can be put in shape and the case
prepared for consideration of the court
within that time
The court, however sometimes has made
a special arrangement for the hearing of
emergency cases, and this precedent might
be followed in the present case If desired
by all parties, and il the court should con-
slider the exigency such to justify 1t.
Owing. however, to the Importance of the
case to the difficulty of preparing for 1t.
to the fact that the law under which it
must be tried Is new, to the additional fact
that the time for the summer adjournment
is drawing near, it is not at all probable
that a conclusion can be reached during
this term. The law allows thirty days for
perfecting the appeal.
NEW YORK, April 1O-President ]. J.
Hill of the Northern Securities Company
at his office today calling later on ].
p. Morgan. Mr.. Hill made quite stay iat
Mr.. Morgan's office. where he conferred
with several members of the firm. None
of those interested would comment further
upon yesterdays decision of the United
States circuit court.
Senator Morgan's Views.
Senator Morgan regards the decision of
the United States circuit court of appeals
at st. Paul, Minn.. in the case of the North
ern Securities Company as of the greatest
Importance.
That decision is unquestionably right"
said Senator Morgan when asked his opin-
ion by a Star reporter today. THE de-
cision had been foreshadowed in Congress
for a number of years. Huntington pur-
sued the same program adopted by those
who formed the Northern Securities
Company by organizing a holding
company in Kentucky. in which he merged
a number of small corporations that were
operating in California and Arizona. He
attempted to get them under control of
that holding company of Kentucky. He
and his advisers instituted that scheme,
and 1t was from that that all of these New
Jersey companies have sprung.
The validity of that organization in
Kentucky was attacked through an investi
CATION carried on by the committee on Pa
citic railroads several years ago. but no ac-
ton was taken on the measure then before
congress for the purpose of settling up the
Union Pacific and the Southern Pacific
railroad grants and railroad subsidies. The
only thing then done was the taking of tes-
timony, which was spread on the records of
both houses. 1t was then contended that
tutional legal basis for its formation
The settlement afterward of the Union aud
Central Pacific railroad debts caused the
subject to pass out of notice until it was
taken up by the governments of the north-
western states and then by the government
Of the United States in order to break up
the merger of the Northern Pacific and of
the Great Northern railroads.
U. S. Supreme Court Decisions.
THE United States Supreme Court has
made decision after decision which lead to
the unavoidable conclusion that the efforts
of these men to combine the powers of
these various corporations under the Ken
lucky charter was a usurpation of power
and authority that did not belong to them
under the law. 1t is a very great point in
favor OF the power of the law to control
these corporations that has been deter
mined in the decision in the merger case,
and scarcely anything could be more ben
ehcial to the people and the government.
Senator Morgan considers that various
other combinations formed under New Jer-
sey charters will be found to be in viola
Van OF the law of the land if they are
J. Pierpont Morgan's Views.
]. Pierpont Morgan is quoted as saying in
an interview In New York yesterday: I'm
Ill 1 see the full text of the decision 1
should not care to express an opinion on it.
This much is certain. however-it will not
rest where IL is.
THE question of the right Of two or more
railroads to be operated by holding COM
pany will be taken to the United States Su-
preme Court at Washington. Instead of
looking upon the decision Of the court today
as a blow to railroad enterprise, 1 should
say that the reverse Is the case. Capital
all over the country Is anxious to know its
rights In the matter of railroad construc-
tion and operation. Railroad men want to
know where they stand.
The decision today is just one step closer
to decision from the United States Su-
preme Court, which shall be final, for even
II the Northern Securities had won TODAY
the governments attorney would probably
have appealed.
THE question was of such Importance
that an appeal was assured no matter who
won. These facts are plain. Both rail-
L. l,<,IA