The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-08
FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1904.
BLIND LEADERS OF The BLIND.

DElNO EEAGEh0 Vt TIE DElIN0s
It is a rather pitifuI condition to
which certain organs of demagogy in
this section are now reduced by the
obligation falling upon them logically
to champion the cause of the Union
Pacific railroad and the great allied
interest which with it constitute the
largest and completest railroad mo-
nOpOly in this country. The en1bar-
Tassment is hydra headed. These news
papers and the vapid and thick-headed
people whom alone they could influence
or lead must contend that a common
the Northern Pacific is a monopoly
ruinous to the country and a heinous
violation of law, while common own
ership of Union Pacific, Northern Pa
cif1c, Southern Pacific and Oregon
Short Line is a stimulus to competi-
ton and in compliance with laws pro-
hibiting the consolidation Of competing
lines
They must contend that competition"
would be restored and expanded by
turning over the Northern Pacific to
parallel line a little south of it, while
competition" would be throttIed by
having it operated in harmony with a
line little north of it. They must hold
that the necessary diversion Of trade
from the Twin Cities to Chicago and
Omaha, and the transfer of through
transcontinental business from Puget
sound ports to San Francisco would
be as beneficial to the Northwest as
the continued upbuilding of st. Paul
and Minneapolis and the expansion Of
the northern trade route They must
assert that this business is of no value
anyhow, as Illustrated by New York
city, which remains of such trifing
size because it happens to be the great
port of entry and departure for the for
eign commerce of this country.
They must hold to a thousand ludi-
crous and self-contradictory tenets.
because Of their false and furious as
saults upon the interests that have
been building up this Northwest. No
body obliged them to do so. They are
in the lamentable condition of men
who, having had commerce with the
enemies of their country because of
some piqUe or spite against its chief
defenders, are logically driven when
the issue comes to become deserters
and fight in the ranks against every in
terest and every friend of their own.
If the people of the Twin Cities and
the Northwest want to know what the
invasion of their territory by Union
Pacific powers would mean, If any of
them are bamboozled by the silly cry
that it would bring in any "competi-
tion," meaning thereby some form Of
railroad rivalry not now existing and
beneficial to the country, we suggest
to them study Of the recent history
Of the city of Portland, Or. Portland
is one Of the oldest and most prosper-
GUS cities Of the Pacific coast. For
many years it had no rival but San
Francisco, and was expected to play
for the north coast the part that San
Francisco did for the south 1t is the
western terminus of transcontinental
system, has rail connections with San
Francisco on the south and Seattle and
Tacoma on the north, has splendid
water front on the willamette river
remote from Pacific storms, has accu-
mulated great wealth, enjoyed mag
nificent foreign trade, was the great
wheat shipping center for the entire
Pacific slope, had its steamers engaged
in the Oriental trade and found all of
4ts interests supported and furthere5