The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1905-03-07
VICTORY FOR THE PEOPLE

The decision yesterday by the SUI
preme court of the United States in the
Northern Securities case is wider and
greater in it's effects than any interest.
1t is, indeed, a final and decisive tri-
umph for Mr. James ]. Hill, who has
fought to it's finish this gigantic battle
against the most powerful forces ever
banded together in this country. But it
is also, in the best sense, a victory for
the Northwest, a victory of the people.
1t frees them from the contemplated
bondage of a combination hostile to
their interests and great enough to
hold half a continent in thrall.
The issues at stake were plain and
simple. The Northern Securities COM
pany, in. obedience to a decree Of the
court. was dissolved. The directors Of
that company, in distributing its as
sets. proposed a plan of distribution
for the stocks of the individual railroad
systems among its holdings that was
acknowledged to be fair and equitable.
There was the great objection to it in
the eyes Of the Hartman interests that
1t did not give them control of the
Northern Pacific. AS the addition of
this line and the Burlington to all the
southern transcontinentals which they
already control was their dream, they
TO %
securities and enforce another that
would better suit their desire and ac-
complish their purpose To that end
they appealed to the courts, and the
tribunal of last resort has now denied
to them the coveted control. They will
get back all that they contributed to
the holding company; get it back with
the increased value that has come to it
from the mastery development Of plan
will not get control and be able to
merge all the transcontinental lines ex-
cept one in their gigantic combination.
In the last analysis this fight has
been one for the whole Northwest, and
for the people of this state and these
cities in particular. All the Hartman
interests are identified with the coun-
try to the south. Omaha and Kansas
City at the east and San Francisco at
mary points for the assembling of bust
ness, To these every pound of freight
would have been diverted wherevet it
could be done. The Twin Cities would
have become mere way stations, and
the country tributary to them valuable
only as it could contribute to the car
rying out Of plans in which it had no
share. The very name of competition
would have vanished from the region
west of the Mississippi except in as
far as 1t could have been sustained by
the single line of the Great Northern,
left to fight alone against the mightiest
railroad combine ever known to the
world. This was the projected plan,
involving decay to our cities and neg
lect and oppression to the people Of
the vast agricultural spaces to the west
and about us. From this they have
been saved by the indomitable will and
energy and intelligence of one man.
1t has been the Northwest's fight 1t
has been the peoples fight. 1t has
been won against mighty odds. The
Northern Securities ceases to exist.
There is no merger save that of the
tremendous railroad combination head
ed by Mr.. Hartman and financed by
Standard Oil But the people Of the
northern tier hold control of their own
routes, and there is effective COMPETE
ton in the race for trade between
East and West; competition whose
scope and area have broadened. but
which becomes thereby even more eff
fective. Such are the consequences Of
this decision; which has been awaited
with an interest commensurate with its
Importance but with a confidence that
SpIdLS lIOItl Tie liHtnuldDle Justice or
the cause.
Let justice be done. This section and
this people have been saved from a
danger greater than they could con-
ceive and against which they would
have had no remedy. They have been
saved by the spirit, the strength, the re-
sources, the fearlessness and the 10y
atty of q man whom they have not al
ways understood or appreciated as his
great work deserves. They owe their
escape and their future prospect of
trade freedom to James j. Hill Memo
rable as have been his achievements as
a creator and director Of the greatest
enterprises of the age, he has, in this
contest, where his figure stands alone
In commanding strength, acted also as
the friend and tribune of the people.
10 hor IN iePxr